24 Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson, by Mr. Cradock. times in Portugal-street, frequently boasted that he was, the only man to bring together miscellaneous parties, and make them all agreeable; and, indeed, there never before was SO strange an assortment as I have occasionally met there. At one of his dinners, were the Duke of Cumberland, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Nairn, the optician, and Mr. Leoni, the singer : at another, Dr. Johnson, &c. and a young dashing Officer, who determined, he whispered, to attack the old Bear that we seemed all to stand in awe of; there was a good dinner, and during that important time, Johnson was deaf to all impertinence. However, after the wine had passed rather freely, the young gentleman was resolved to bait him, and venture out a little further: "now, Dr. Johnson, do not look so glum, but be a little gay and lively, like others. What would you give, old gentleman, to be as young and sprightly as I am?” Why, Sir," says he, "I think I would almost be content to be as foolish." Johnson (it is well known) professed to recruit his acquaintance with younger persons, and, in his latter days, I, with a few others, was more frequently honoured by his notice. At times he was very gloomy, and would exclaim, " stay with me, for it is a comfort to me"-a comfort that any feeling mind would wish to administer to a man so kind, though at times so boisterous, when he seized your hand, and repeated, Aye, Sir, but to die and go we know not where," &c.-here his morbid melancholy prevailed, and Garrick never spoke so impressively to the heart. Yet, to see him in the evening, (though he took nothing stronger than lemonade,) a stranger would have concluded that our morning account was a fabrication. No hour was too late to keep him from the tyranny of his own gloomy thoughts. A gentleman venturing to say to Johnson, "Sir, I wonder, sometimes, that you condescend so far as to attend [Jan. some in time he began to publish his "Lives of the Poets," and how he got through that arduous labour is, in measure, still a mystery to me; he must have been greatly assisted by booksellers. I had, some time before, lent him Euripides with Milton's manuscript Notes: this, though he did not minutely examine (see Joddrel's Euripides), yet he very handsomely returned it, and mentioned it in his " Life of Milton." In the course of conversation, one day, I dropped out to him, that Lord Harborough (then the Rev.) was possession of a very valuable collection of Manuscript Poems, and that amongst them, there were two or three in the hand-writing of King James I.; that they were bound up handsomely in folio, and were entitled "Sackville's Poems." These he solicited me to borrow for him, and Lord Harborough very kindly entrusted them to me for his perusal. At that time he had become careless about his books, and frequently very melancholy. Not finding any acknowledgment about them, I wrote to him, and received the annexed note, "that he knew nothing about them." Jan. 20, 1783. "Mr. Johnson is very glad of any intelligence, and much obliged by Mr. Cradock's favour and attention. The book he has now sent, shall be taken care of; but of a former book mentioned in the note, Mr. Johnson has no remembrance, and can hardly think he ever received it, though bad health may possibly have made him negligent." "To Mr. Cradock." This gave me no small concern, and I mentioned it to Steevens, who inmediately said, "You ought not to have lent it to him; he knows nothing about it! I saw the book you describe lie under his old inkstand, and could not think what it was; it is there now." However, I never regained it till after his death, when, reading the melancholy account at Marseilles, I became alarmed about the book, and instantly wrote to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who found it directly, in the place mentioned by Mr. Steevens, and it was safely returned to Lord Harborough, with due excuses and acknowledgments. I was not equally fortunate in regard to some other papers I had procured for the Doctor in re 1828.] Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson, by Mr. Cradock. 66 gard to Gray and others, and particularly the French Translation of the "Merchant of Venice." Something had been said before him about a note of Mason's, relative to the mistake of a Translator, and the explanation of the word bowling-green, when I entertained him with a more laughable instance of a mistake in regard to the passage of the return of my ship Andrew (mon Andrew)," in the "Merchant of Venice." This, says the Translator, is in England a very merry fellow, who plays tricks at a celebrated annual fair held there, and frequently, by his buffooneries, brings home to his employers very extensive gains." This book, merely owing to his infirmities, likewise, I never received again. Sometimes trifles diverted him, and relieved his melancholy, but there could be no possible guess how an anecdote would be received. Speaking of Sterne's Sermons-" Sir, the fellow mixes the light with the serious; else in some parts, Dr. Johnson, I was surprised to find you had attended to them at all." "Sir, I was in a stagecoach; I should not have read them had I been at large." And directly afterwards, Harris's Hermes was mentioned. "I think the book is too abstruse; it is heavy." "It is; but a work of that kind must be heavy." "A rather dull man of my acquaintance asked me," said I, “to lend him some book to entertain him, and I offered him Harris's Hermes, and as I expected, from the title, he took it for a Novel; when he returned it, I asked him how he liked it, and what he thought of it? 'Why, to speak the truth,' says he, 'I was not much diverted; I think all these Imitations of Tristram Shandy fall far short of the original!"—This had its effect, and almost produced from Johnson a rhinocerous laugh. One of Dr. Johnson's rudest speeches was to a pompous gentleman coming out of Lichfield Cathedral, who said, "Dr. Johnson, we have had a most excellent discourse to day!" "That may be,” said Johnson; but it is impossible that you should know it." Of his kindness to me, during the last years of his most valuable life, I could enumerate many instances. One slight circumstance, if any were wantGENT. MAG. January, 1828. 25 ing, would give an excellent proof of the goodness of his heart, and that to a person whom he found in distress: in such a case he was the very last man that would have given even the least momentary uneasiness to any one, had he been aware of it. Johnson, I think, went into his neighbour Alleyne's house, where he found a large party of females drinking; the greater part were not aware perhaps who he was, and went on in their discourse, without any regard to his being present; at last he began rather to growl, and talked of idle sounds, without either sense or meaning. The account I had from Mrs. Braddish, who was present. She was an humble pensioner on the Stratford family, and dined at my house frequently on a Sunday; but, during the week, she worked or washed for her living in Bolt-court. She was a gentleman's widow, well educated, and was most highly vexed at being included in such an offending party. I told her I would apologize for her to Johnson, which I did. He made little reply, but I found afterwards she had frequently been at his house, and he much noticed her. He told Mr. Alleyne that he found her to be a very sensible and discreet woman. This Mr. Alleyne was a very honest man, was Johnson's landlord, and much respected by him; but T. Davies often diverted his friends at Alleyne's expense. By living so much with the great luminary, he had imbibed some of his pompous diction, which, unfortunately, being filled up with some phrases that he himself frequently made use of, such as foh! foh! lack-aday! fiddle-de-dee! out of all of it, T. Davies furnished out a rich melange; and, entertaining us frequently with it, he forgot himself, and introduced it before Johnson. "And pray, Davies," some of us asked, "how did he receive it?' 66 a Why, I found he understood it, and only rubbed his mouth, and walked to the window." Mr. Alleyne was respectable stationer. These slight anecdotes gave a key to Johnson's real character: he always meant to be on the side of justice, virtue, and humanity. When the story of Johnson's felling Osborne in his own shop was told at Davies's, I ventured to strike out the following extempore: 26 Astrological Predictions of Lilly. When Johnson, with tremendous step, around, And mighty Osborne's 'self lies levell'd with The last time I saw Dr. Johnson was just before I went to France; he said, with a deep sigh, "I wish I was going with you." He had just then been disappointed of going to Italy. Of all men I ever knew, Dr. Johnson was the most instructive. During my residence in town, in the year 1824, I passed through Islington, on my way to Mr. Nichols's house at Highbury, but was rather impeded by a most crowded funeral; on naming this, Mr. Nichols said, "it was the funeral of Dr. Strahan, whom I have heard you speak of as having met at Dr. Johnson's." "You quite surprise me!" Yes," said Mr. Nichols," and we have been mentioning here, that you must be amongst the last now remaining of all that party." ,, The conversation that passed that day, in consequence, principally led to the serious negociations that have since taken place relative to these Recollections. IN Mr. URBAN, 2, Francis-st. Goldensquare, Jan. 18. N several of your former volumes, XCI. pt. i. p. 99, and xc111. pt. ii. p. 279, you have communicated to your readers some amusing particulars relating to the notorious William Lilly, the Sidrophel of Butler, and prince of astrologers during the reigns of Charles the First and Second. The favour of a friend has lately enabled me to inspect the almanack published by this impudent cheat for the year 1655, and with your permission I will lay before your readers some account of its contents. It may be imagined that such a work can afford little that is worthy of preservation, but I need not remark to you that history gathers some of its most valuable materials from sources that at first sight seem little calculated to yield the least assistance, and I think * "Lie still, Sir,” said Johnson, “that you may not give me a second trouble." Mr. Nichols afterwards asked Johnson whether the story was strictly true? "No, Sir," replied Johnson, “it was not in his shop, it was at my own house." [Jan it will be found that even The almanack I have referred to is The year 1654, near the end of which this almanack was, of course, published, is distinguished in the history of Great Britain as being the first year of the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. The Long Parliament was "turned out of doors," as Lilly expresses it, on the 20th April, 1653. Barebone's Parliament terminated its short existence on the 12th Dec. following. On Friday, the 16th Dec. the celebrated" instrument of government" was first promulgated; and on the same day, as Lilly tells us, 66 at half an hour past two in the afternoon," his Highness received, or accepted, the Sword and Seal at Westminster. It is, therefore, by no means remarkable that the "Student of Astrology" should, under these circumstances, devote a considerable portion of his "Astrologicall Judgments" to the fortunes of this new prince, whose government had now assumed a form in some little degree settled and known. Accordingly, the first few pages of the "Judgments" contain a strenuous endeavour to prove that all the strange fortunes of "Old Noll," had been clearly and pointedly predicted by "sage Sidrophel." The introductory passage is so curious for 1828.] Predictions of Lilly the Astrologer. its ingenuity and excessive modesty, that I shall quote it as it stands. "Before we come to deliver our astrological judgment of the contingencies of this present year 1655, we hold it very convenient to signifie unto this present genera tion, and also to future ages, how it hath pleased Almighty God all along, almost in every year of our annual and other writings emitted into the world since 1644 (at which time we first appeared publickly), so to direct and guide our understanding, that in a multitude of our expressions we have sometimes tacitly, and at other times very modestly, hinted at, nay, almost in significant language, expressed those great and many, yea, even miraculous mutations which have befallen our native country (which is England), as also the several alterations both in civil and other matters of government, which have therein happened, very long before they came to pass; nay, even those very honorable and high actions and carriages of this present Lord Protector, both in his person and undertakings, are so plainly demonstrated, and in such plain language delivered, that, unless an envious generation of very obstinate people shall willingly hoodwink their understandings, and out of meer malice or envy disparage his glorious actions and the copiousness of our pen, they must acknowledge our genius, guided by some secret providence, to have been his Highness's trumpet, and he the main and almost onely subject of our many years writing. We do more willingly remember these our preceding predictions, that posterity may know we were as well born to predict his greatness as he made capable by the extraordinary hand of God to verifie them." From such an introduction the sequel may be easily guessed; every lucky or doubtful passage in his early writings (his almanacks or his pamphlets), is turned and distorted to the advantage of his own prescience and the honor of Cromwell, who is, in truth, flattered with no sparing hand. It is not my intention to follow Mr. Lilly throughout his course; but there are several passages which appear worth extracting. One of his hieroglyphics, he pretends, had reference to the peace established by Cromwell. "First, with the Swede, by the extraordinary blessing of God upon the industry and endeavours of that most honorable person, the Lord Commissioner Whitlock, imployed by his Highness unto the Swedes for that purpose; who, notwithstanding the unseasonableness of the year, and the many dangers attending the sea in that season, not respecting the indisposition of his body, or any danger which might intervene, most nobly and willingly, not onely underwent the embassage, but also to the extreme honour . 27 of the English nation, performed his embassage, and concluded a peace highly to the advantage of his nation. His Highness hath also brought the Dutch unto a handsome peace, and enforced Denmark to restore our merchants' ships and goods. He hath also, to the great advance of the merchants, composed a peace with the Portugals; therefore I think he was very properly pictured in that shape, and the word Pax placed under him." Whitelock, who here. shares Lilly's commendations with the Protector, was a friend of the astrologer, and upon several occasions made use of his heavenly skill. Another hieroglyphic happening to contain a few wheatsheaves, this is at once construed into an indication of plenty, and he remarks: "If ever any man who is alive did know corn cheaper than it hath been for these three years last past, we much wonder. Wheat being at 20d. and rye 16d. a bushel." A third hieroglyphic foretold the dissolution of the Long Parliament, and here he gives the following strange account of that event: "But, behold in the 6th page, how significantly we represent the late Parliament really as it was when dissolved: for you see a navy of ships represented over the Parliament's head; and at what time they were dissolved or routed and turned out of dores their navy was just setting forth. You see what sorrowful countenances many of them have, and good reason they had to look like sorrowful knights, who whilst that Parliament lasted knew no mediocrity in their pride, though now they are but as vulgar men scorned in most places they reside in. O Gilbert Millingtou, Abbot of Fell, in Nottinghamshire, high prince of plundered ministers, in what ale-house wast thou in when that house was dissolved? Exit Gilbert." His especial enmity towards the "Committee for plundered ministers," arose from the circumstance which is detailed in his life written by himself, of his being summoned before that Committee on occasion of some prognostications in his "Starry Messenger,' which were construed into an offence The same against the Parliament. circumstance is referred to in the following passage in the almanack : "Since that time his Highness hath, in a manner, had the sole government of England, and that by his means and endeavours we enjoy a settled good peace none will deny, except, perhaps, Will. Cawley, of Chichester, lately elected a Privy Counsellor to the Queen of Pigmies; yet formerly he was a prodigious stickler, right or wrong, in the 20 Memoirs of the Royal Navy. I beg to make you an offer of furnishing you with the said continuation progressively, should you think proper to publish the same in your widely circulating Miscellany. I can assure you that all the statements of the numbers of ships, tonnage, &c. have been most carefully examined, although some of them may be found to differ in several instances from those in late Histories of the Navy. C. DERRICK. MEMOIRS OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Notwithstanding the splendour and importance of the battle of Trafalgar, never did people of all ranks, even to the very lowest, exhibit more real sorrow for the loss of any public character, than for that of Lord Nelson. The following observations on the subject, by a late celebrated writer,* contain so just and striking a picture of the popular feeling, that I cannot refrain from inserting them: "I walked about the streets of the capital, on the night of the intelligence which reached us, of his Lordship's victory and of his death, I remarked with peculiar satisfaction the divided feelings of the common people; they knew not how to rejoice, yet they wanted a triumph; the occasion demanded it, but they were unfitted for enforcing, and disqualified for enjoying it: I was charmed with their dilemma." For the foregoing reasons, there were scarcely any illuminations in London, except at the public offices. Captains Duff, of the Mars, and Cooke, of the Bellerophon, also gloriously fell in this action, but no other officers of such high rank in the Navy. As only four of the captured ships. could be brought off, owing to their disabled condition, and the heavy gales of wind, which continued for several days after the battle, those which did not escape into Cadiz were either destroyed or wrecked on the Spanish coast; in consideration of which circumstances, Parliament voted 300,000l. by way of compensation to the officers and men who served in the battle.The honour conferred by his Majesty on Lord Nelson's brother, and the pecuniary grants of Parliament to him and his two sisters, are too well known to require particular mention here. Mr. Cumberland. [Jan. "The victory in question was undoubtedly the greatest in our naval history, in whatever point of view it is considered. It was not only transcendantly great from the skill and heroism displayed, but important from its political consequences. It carried the naval renown of this country to a height it never before reached; and left us not only without a rival, but without an enemy to contend with on the sea."* Vice-Admiral Collingwood was immediately created a Baron of the united kingdom, under the title of Lord Collingwood, and Parliament voted him 2000l. per ann. Rear-Adm. the Earl of Northesk, the third in command, was made a Knight of the Bath; and Capt. Hardy, of the Victory (Lord Nelson's flag-ship), was created a Baronet. Many of the Lieutenants in the fleet were promoted to the rank of Post-Captains. 1805. Ten ships, of 74 guns, and many frigates and smaller vessels, were contracted for in the course of this year. In Dec. 1805, the Loire and Egyptienne captured La Fibre, a French frigate of 40 guns, off Rochfort, after an obstinate defence of half an hour. And in the same month the Narcissus frigate, Capt. Donelly, ran a French frigate ashore at the Cape of Good Hope; she was dismasted, and could not possibly be saved. 1806. In February, Vice-Admiral Sir J. T. Duckworth, in an engagement with a French squadron of five sail of the line, besides frigates, &c. off St. Domingo, captured or destroyed the following, namely:-1 of 84 guns, 2 of 74, taken; 1 of 120 guns, I of 84, driven ashore, and completely wrecked; so that only the two frigates and sloop escaped. It was a close action of near two hours. The enemy's squadron was under the command of Rear-Admiral Le Seigle. The Cape of Good Hope, which was restored to the Dutch at the Peace, was retaken by the English in January. The two ships which were there belonging to the enemy, one of which was of 68 guns, were destroyed by their own crews. The London of 98 guns, Capt. Sir Harry Neale, after a running fight *See speech of Francis Horner, esq. in the House of Commons, Feb. 5, 1816.. |