"First Shakspeare and Milton, like Gods in the "Have put their whole drama and epic to flight. "In fatires, epiftles, and odes would they cope? "Their numbers retreat before Dryden and Pope. "And Johnfon well arm'd, like a hero of yore, "Has beat forty French, and will beat Forty "more." It is, perhaps, needlefs to mention, that Forty was the number of the French Academy, at the time when their Dictionary was published to fettle their language. In the courfe of the winter preceding this grand publication, the late Earl of Chefterfield gave two effays in the periodical Paper, called THE WORLD, dated November 28, and December 5, 1754, to prepare the publick for fo important a work. The original plan, addreffed to his Lordship in the year 1747, is there mentioned in terms of the highest praife; and this was understood, at the time, to be a courtly way of foliciting a dedication of the Dictionary to himself. Johnson treated this civility with disdain. He said to Garrick and others, "I have failed a long and pain ❝ ful 66 "ful voyage round the world of the English language; and does he now send out two "cockboats to tow me into harbour?" He had faid, in the laft number of the Rambler, that, having laboured to maintain "the dignity of virtue, I will not now de 66 grade it by the meannefs of dedication." Such a man when he had finished his Dictionary, "not," as he fays himself, "in the "foft obfcurities of retirement, or under the "fhelter of academic bowers, but amidft in"convenience and diftraction, in ficknefs and in forrow, and without the patronage of "the Great," was not likely to be caught by the lure thrown out by lord Chesterfield. He had in vain fought the patronage of that nobleman; and his pride, exafperated by disappointment, drew from him the following letter, dated in the month of February, 1755. "To the Right Honourable the Earl of "CHESTERFIELD, "MY LORD, "I have been lately informed, by the pro"prietors of the World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the publick, were written by your Lordfhip. 66 fhip. To be fo diftinguished is an honour "which, being very little accustomed to "favours from the great, I know not well "how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge. 166 66 "When upon fome flight encouragement, "I firft vifited your Lordship, I was overpowered, like the reft of mankind, by the "enchantment of your addrefs, and could "not forbear to wish, that I might boast "myfelf le vainqueur du vainqueur de le terre; "that I might obtain that regard for which "I faw the world contending. But I found "my attendance fo little encouraged, that "neither pride nor modefty would fuffer me σε to continue it. When I had once addreffed "your Lordship in public, I had exhaufted "all the art of pleafing, which a retired and uncourtly scholar can poffefs. I had done "all that I could; and no man is well pleafed to have his all neglected, be it ever fo "little. "Seven years, my Lord, have now paffed "fince I waited in your outward room, or was 66 repulfed from your door; during which "time 66 66 "time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to "complain, and have brought it at last to the verge of publication, without one act of affiftance, one word of encouragement, or one "fmile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before. "The Shepherd in Virgil grew acquainted "with Love, and found him a native of the "rocks. "Is not a patron, my Lord, one who looks "with unconcern on a man ftruggling for "life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The "notice which you have been pleased to take "of my labours, had it been early, had been "kind; but it has been delayed till I am "indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am 66 16 folitary, and cannot impart it; till 1 am "known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical afperity not to confefs obligations where no benefit has been re"ceived; or to be unwilling that the publick "fhould confider me as owing that to a patron, which Providence has enabled me "to do for myself. 66 1 66 Having Having carried on my work thus far "with fo little obligation to any favourer "of learning, I fhall not be disappointed, though I fhould conclude it, if less be 66 poffible, with lefs; for I have been long "wakened from that dream of hope, in "which I once boasted myself with so much: exultation, "MY LORD, "Your Lordship's most humble "SAMUEL JOHNSON." It is faid, upon good authority, that Johnfon once received from Lord Chesterfield the fum of ten pounds. It were to be wished that the fecret had never tranfpired. It was mean to receive it, and meaner to give it. It may be imagined, that for Johnson's ferocity, as it has been called, there was fome foundation in his finances; and, as his Dictionary was brought to a conclufion, that money was now to flow in upon him. The reverse was the cafe. For his fubfiftence, during the progrefs of the work, he had received at different times the amount of his contract; and when his receipts were pro duced |