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Sir William Forbes writes to me thus: "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, were friends and acquaintances of Dr. Goldsmith. 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 Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry, now Bishop of Killaloe, drew up an address to Dr. Johnson on the occasion, replete with wit and humor, 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, to which I had the honor to officiate as clerk.

"Sir Joshua agreed to carry it to Dr. Johnson, who received it with much good humor, 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 the Round Robin as a species of literary

curiosity worth preserving, as it marks, in a certain degree, Dr. Johnson's character."

ROUND ROBIN, addrefied to SAMUEL JOHNSON, L.LD.
with FACSIMILES of the Signatures.

having read with great pleasure, an
intended Gritaph for the Monuments of Dr
Goldsmiths which considered abstractedly appears to
be, for elegant Composition and Masterly Suild, in
every respect worthy of the por of its learned Author
aro yst of opinion, hat the Character of the Deceased as
attriter, particularly as a Poet, is perhaps, init delineateds
with all the exactress which Dr Johnson is Capable of
giving it..
ut. We therefore, with deference to his Superior Judge
ment, kuombly request, that he would at least take the trouble
of revising it; & of making such additions and alterations
as he shall think proper, upon a farther porusal. Baute
if the might venture to express our Wishes, they woulds
lead us, to request, that he would write the Epitaph
English, rather than in Latin: A We think that the
Momory of
English Writer ought to be
perpetuated in the language, to which his Works are
likely to be so lasting on Ornament, Whichave
also know to have been the opinion of
The late Doctor

~P.
Mitcalfer wooon. Jos. Warton.Com hinder the. Franklinie

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My readers are presented with a faithful transcript of a paper, which I doubt not of their being desirous to see.

I select from his private register the following passage:

"July 25, 1776. O God, who hast ordained that whatever is to be desired should be sought by labor, and who by thy blessing, bringest honest labor to

good effect, look with mercy upon my studies and endeavors. Grant me, O Lord, to design only what is lawful and right; and afford me calmness of mind, and steadiness of purpose, that I may so do thy will in this short life, as to obtain happiness in the world to come, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

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 sixtyseven, is admirable and encouraging; and it must impress all the thinking part of my readers with a consolatory confidence in habitual devotion, when they see a man of such enlarged intellectual powers as Johnson, thus in the genuine earnestness of secrecy, imploring the aid of that Supreme Being, "from whom cometh down every good and every perfect gift."

I again wrote to Dr. Johnson on the 21st of October, informing him, that my father had, in the most liberal manner, paid a large debt for me, and that I had now the happiness of being upon very good terms with him; to which he returned the following

answer:

"To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

"DEAR SIR: I had great pleasure in hearing that you are at last on good terms with your father. Cultivate his kindness by all honest and manly means. Life is but short; no time can be afforded but for the indulgence of real sorrow, or contests upon questions seriously momentous. Let us not

throw away any of our days upon useless resentment, or contend who shall hold out longest in stubborn malignity. It is best not to be angry; and best, in the next place, to be quickly reconciled. May you and your father pass the remainder of your time in reciprocal benevolence!

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"Do you ever hear from Mr. Langton? I visit him sometimes, but he does not talk. I do not like his scheme of life; but as I am not permitted to understand it, I cannot set anything right that is wrong. His children are sweet babies.

"I hope my irreconcilable enemy, Mrs. Boswell, is well. Desire her not to transmit her malevolence to the young people. Let me have Alexander, and Veronica, and Euphemia, for my friends.

"Mrs. Williams, whom you may reckon as one of your well-wishers, is in a feeble and languishing state, with little hopes of growing better. She went for some part of the autumn into the country, but is little benefited; and Dr. Lawrence confesses that his art is at an end. Death is, however, at a distance, and what more than that can we say of ourselves? I am sorry for her pain, and more sorry for her decay. Mr. Levett is sound, wind and limb.

"I was some weeks this autumn at Brighthelmstone. The place was very dull, and I was not well; the expedition to the Hebrides was the most pleasant journey that I ever made. Such an effort annually would give the world a little diversification. "Every year, however, we cannot wander, and must therefore endeavor to spend our time at home as well as we can. I believe it is best to throw life into a method, that every hour may bring its employ

ment, and every employment have its hour. Xenophon observes, in his Treatise of Economy, that if everything be kept in a certain place, when anything is worn out or consumed, the vacuity which it leaves will show what is wanting; so if every part of time has its duty, the hour will call into remembrance its proper engagement.

"I have not practiced all this prudence myself, but I have suffered much for want of it; and I would have you, by timely recollection and steady resolution, escape from those evils which have lain heavy upon me. I am, dearest Boswell,

"Your most humble servant,
"SAM. JOHNSON."

"Bolt-court, Nov. 16, 1776.".

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In 1777, it appears from his Prayers and Meditations, that Johnson suffered much from a state of mind "unsettled and perplexed," and from that constitutional gloom, which, together with his extreme humility and anxiety with regard to his religious state, made him contemplate himself through too dark and unfavorable a medium. It may be said of him, that he "saw God in clouds.' Certain we may be of his injustice to himself in the following lamentable paragraph, which it is painful to think came from the contrite heart of this great man, to whose labors 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 mind, very near to madness, which I hope He that made me will suffer to extenuate many faults, and excuse many deficiencies." But we find his devotions in this year

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