and Numbers 44. and 100., by Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. (1)

Posterity will be astonished when they are told, upon the authority of Johnson himself, that many of these discourses, which we should suppose had been laboured with all the slow attention of literary leisure, were written in haste as the moment pressed, without even being read over by him before they were printed. (2) It can be accounted for only in this way; that, by reading and meditation, and a very close inspection of life, he had accumulated a great fund of miscellaneous knowledge, which, by a peculiar promptitude of mind, was ever ready at his call, and which he had constantly accustomed himself to clothe in the most apt and energetic expression. Sir Joshua Reynolds once asked him, by what means he had attained his extraordinary accuracy and flow of language. He told him, that he had early laid it down as a fixed rule to do his best on every occasion, and in every company : to impart whatever he knew

Mr. Payne told Mr. Chalmers (Brit. Ess. vol. xix. p. 14.), that No. 97. was "the only paper which had a prosperous sale, and was popular." The flatteries which Richardson's coterie lavished on him and all his works were quite extravagant: the paper is rather a poor one. — CROKER.

(1) The papers contributed by Mrs. Carter had much of Johnson's esteem, though he always blamed me for preferring the letter signed Chariessa (No. 100.) to the allegory (No. 45.) where religion and superstition are, indeed, most masterly delineated. Prozzi.

(2) The fine Rambler on Procrastination [No. 134.] was hastily composed in Sir Joshua Reynolds's parlour, while the boy waited to carry it to the press, and numberless are the instances of his writing under the immediate pressure of importunity or distress. - Piozzi.

in the most forcible language he could put it in; and that by constant practice, and never suffering any careless expressions to escape him, or attempting to deliver his thoughts without arranging them in the clearest manner, it became habitual to him. (1)

Yet, he was not altogether unprepared as a periodical writer: for I have in my possession a small duodecimo volume, in which he has written, in the form of Mr. Locke's Common-Place Book, a variety of hints for essays on different subjects. He has marked upon the first blank leaf of it, "To the 128th page, collections for the RAMBLER;" and in another place, "In fifty-two there were seventeen provided; in 97-21; in 190-25." At a subsequent period (probably after the work was finished) he added, "In all, taken of provided materials, 30." (2)

Sir John Hawkins, who is unlucky upon all occasions, tells us, that "this method of accumulating intelligence had been practised by Mr. Addison, and is humorously described in one of the Spectators [No. 46.], wherein he feigns to have dropped his paper of notanda, consisting of a diverting medley of broken sentences and loose hints, which

(1) The rule which Dr. Johnson observed is sanctioned by the authority of two great writers of antiquity: "Ne id quidem tacendum est, quod eidem Ciceroni placet, nullum nostrum usquam negligentem esse sermonem: quicquid loquemur, ubicunque, sit pro sua scilicet portione perfectum." Quinctil. x. 7. MALONE.

(2) This, no doubt, means, that, of the first 52 Ramblers, 17 had been prepared, and so on, till, at the completion of the whole 208 numbers, he found that only 30 had been formed of materials previously provided. — CROKER.

he tells us he had collected, and meant to make use of. Much of the same kind is Johnson's Adversaria."(1) But the truth is, that there is no resemblance at all between them. Addison's note was a fiction, in which unconnected fragments of his lucubrations were purposely jumbled together, in as odd a manner as he could, in order to produce a laughable effect: whereas, Johnson's abbreviations are all distinct, and applicable to each subject of which the head is mentioned.

For instance, there is the following specimen :

Youth's Entry, &c.

No

"Baxter's account of things in which he had changed his mind as he grew up. Voluminous. wonder. - If every man was to tell, or mark, on how many subjects he has changed, it would make vols. but the changes not always observed by man's self. From pleasure to bus. [business] to quiet; from thoughtfulness to reflect. to piety; from dissipation to domestic. by impercept. gradat. but the change is certain. Dial non progredi, progress. esse conspicimus. Look back, consider. what was thought at some dist. period.

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Hope predom. in youth. Mind not willingly indulges unpleasing thoughts. The world lies all enamelled before him, as a distant prospect sun-gilt (2);

(1) In this instance Mr. Boswell is more unlucky than Hawkins, whose account is by no means incorrect. He knew very well, and distinctly states, that Addison's published "Notanda" were a mere pleasantry, consisting of topics drolly selected and arranged; but he infers, rationally enough, that Addison had taken the idea from his own real practice of collecting notanda; and he is quite justified in adding, "much of the same kind are Johnson's Adversaria."- CROKER.

(2) This most beautiful image of the enchanting delusion of youthful prospect has not been used in any of Johnson's essays.

inequalities only found by coming to it. Love is to

be all joy children excellent · caresses of the great

smiles of Beauty.

Fame to be constant

applauses of the learned

"Fear of disgrace Bashfulness Finds things of less importance. Miscarriages forgot lencies; if remembered, of no import. sinking into negligence of reputation ; of disgrace destroy activity.

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like excelDanger of lest the fear

Confidence in himself. Long tract of life before - No thought of sickness. Embarrassment of

him. affairs. Distraction of family. Public calamities. No sense of the prevalence of bad habits. Negligent of time ready to undertake

changed by time.

careless to pursue

all

"Confident of others unsuspecting as unexperienced-imagining himself secure against neglect, never imagines they will venture to treat him ill. Ready to trust; expecting to be trusted. Convinced by time of the selfishness, the meanness, the cowardice, the treachery of men.

"Youth ambitious, as thinking honours easy to be

had.

"Different kinds of praise periods. Of the gay in youth. spised.

pursued at different dang. hurt, &c. de

"Of the fancy in manhood. bargains. Of the wise and sober in old age

ness formality — maxims, but general only of the rich, otherwise age is happy but at last every thing referred to riches no having fame, honour, influence, without subjection to caprice.

"Horace.

"Hard it would be if men entered life with the same views with which they leave it, or left as they enter it. - No hope no undertaking volence

-

no fear of disgrace, &c.

no regard to bene

"Youth to be taught the piety of age retain the honour of youth.”

This, it will be observed, is the sketch of Number 196. of the Rambler. I shall gratify my readers with another specimen :—

"Confederacies difficult; why.

"Seldom in war a match for single persons nor in peace; therefore kings make themselves absolute. Confederacies in learning every great work the work of one. Bruy. Scholars' friendship like ladies.

of discord

Scribe

bamus, &c. Mart. (1) The apple of discord—the laurel the poverty of criticism. Swift's opinion of the power of six geniuses united. That union scarce possible. His remarks just ; —man a social, not steady nature. Drawn to man by words, repelled by passions. Orb drawn by attraction, rep. [repelled] by centrifugal,

"Common danger unites by crushing other passions. but they return. Equality hinders compliance. Superiority produces insolence and envy. Too much regard in each to private interest; too little.

"The mischiefs of private and exclusive societies The fitness of social attraction diffused through the whole. The mischiefs of too partial love of our country. Contraction of moral duties. Οἱ φίλοι, ου φίλος.

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Every man moves upon his own centre, and therefore repels others from too near a contact, though he may comply with some general laws.

"Of confederacy with superiors every one knows the inconvenience. With equals, no authority; every man his own opinion - his own interest.

"Man and wife hardly united; scarce ever with

(1) Lib. xii. 96. "In Tuccam æmulum omnium suorum studiorum."- MALONE.