you confider whether the publication will really do any good; next, whether by printing and distributing a very small number, you may not attain all that you propofe; and, what perhaps I fhould have faid firft, whether the letter, which I do not now perfectly remember, be fit to be printed.

"If you can confult Dr. Robertfon, to whom I am a little known, I shall be fatisfied about the propriety of whatever he fhall direct. If he thinks that it should be printed, I entreat him to revise it; there may, perhaps, be fome negligent lines written, and whatever is amifs, he knows very well how to rectify.

"Be pleased to let me know, from time to time, how this excellent defign goes forward.

"Make my compliments to young Mr. Drummond, whom I hope you will live to fee fuch as you defire him.

"I have not lately feen Mr. Elphinston, but believe him to be profperous. I fhall be glad to hear the fame of you, for I am, Sir,

"Johnfon's-court, Fleet-ftreet,

"Your affectionate humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON."

April 21, 1767.

To the fame.

cε SIR,

"I RETURNED this week from the country, after an abfence of near fix months, and found your letter, with many others, which I fhould have anfwered fooner, if I had fooner feen them.

"Dr. Robertfon's opinion was furely right. Men fhould not be told of the faults which they have mended. I am glad the old language is taught, and honour the tranflator as a man whom God has diftinguished by the high office of propagating his word.

"I must take the liberty of engaging you in an office of charity. Mrs. Heely, the wife of Mr. Heely, who had lately fome office in your theatre, is my near relation, and now in great diftrefs. They wrote me word of their fituation fome time ago, to which I returned them an answer which raised hopes of more than it is proper for me to give them. Their reprefentation of their affairs I have discovered to be fuch as cannot be trusted; and at this distance, though their cafe requires hatte, I know not how to act. She, or her daughters, may be heard of at Canongate Head. I muft beg, Sir, that you will enquire

3 This paragraph fhews Johnfon's real estimation of the character and abilities of the celebrated Scottish Hiftorian, however lightly, in a moment of caprice, he may have fpoken of his works, after

Pp

after them, and let me know what is to be done. I am willing to go to ten pounds, and will tranfmit you fuch a fum, if upon examination you find it likely to be of use. If they are in immediate want, advance them what you What I could do, I would do for the women, having no great reason to pay much regard to Heely himself.

think

proper.

"I believe you may receive fome intelligence from Mrs. Baker, of the theatre, whose letter I received at the fame time with yours, and to whom,

if

you see her, you will make my excuse for the feeming neglect of answering her.

"Whatever you advance within ten pounds fhall be immediately returned to you, or paid as you fhall order. I trust wholly to your judgement. "I am, Sir, &c.

"London, Johnson's-court, Fleet

ftreet, Oct. 24, 1767.

SAM. JOHNSON."

Mr. Cuthbert Shaw, alike diftinguished by his genius, misfortunes, and misconduct, published this year a poem, called "The Race, by Mercurius Spur, Efq." in which he whimfically made the living poets of England contend for pre-eminence of fame by running:

"Prove by their heels the prowefs of the head."

In this poem there was the following portrait of Johnson:

"Here Johnfon comes,-unbleft with outward grace,
"His rigid morals ftamp'd upon his face.

"While ftrong conceptions ftruggle in his brain;

(For even Wit is brought to-bed with pain):

"To view him, porters with their loads would reft,
"And babes cling frighted to the nurfe's breast.
"With looks convuls'd, he roars in pompous ftrain,
"And, like an angry lion, shakes his mane.

"The Nine, with terror ftruck, who ne'er had seen,
"Aught human with fo horrible a mien,

"Debating whether they should stay or run,

"Virtue fteps forth, and claims him for her fon.

* This is the perfon concerning whom Sir John Hawkins has thrown out very unwarrantable

reflections both againft Dr. Johnfon and Mr. Francis Barber.

5 See an account of him in the European Magazine, January, 1786.

4

" With

The Honourable Thomas Hervey and his lady having unhappily difagreed, and being about to feparate, Johnson interfered as their friend, and wrote him a letter of expoftulation, which I have not been able to find; but the substance of it is ascertained by a letter to Johnson, in answer to it, which Mr. Hervey printed. The occafion of this correfpondence between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Hervey, was thus related to me by Mr. Beauclerk. "Tom Hervey had a great liking for Johnson, and in his will had left him a legacy of fifty pounds. One day he faid to me, Johnson may want this money now, more than afterwards. I have a mind to give it him directly. Will you be fo good as to carry a fifty pound note from me to him?' This I pofitively refused to do, as he might, perhaps, have knocked me down for infulting him, and have afterwards put the note in his pocket. But I faid, if Hervey would write him a letter, and enclose a fifty pound note, I should take care to deliver it. He accordingly did write him a letter, mentioning that he was only paying a legacy a little fooner. To his letter he added, P. S. I am going to part with my wife.' Johnfon then wrote to him, faying nothing of the note, but remonstrating with him against parting with his wife."

When I mentioned to Johnson this ftory, in as delicate terms as I could, he told me that the fifty pound note was given to him by Mr. Hervey in confideration of his having written for him a pamphlet against Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, who, Mr. Harvey imagined, was the authour of an attack upon him; but that it was afterwards difcovered to be the work of a garretteer, who wrote "The Fool:" fo the pamphlet against Sir Charles was not printed.

In February, 1767, there happened one of the most remarkable incidents of Johnson's life, which gratified his monarchical enthusiasm, and which he loved to relate with all its circumftances, when requested by his friends. This was his being honoured by a private converfation with his Majesty, in the library at the Queen's house. He had frequently visited those splendid rooms Pp 2

and

1766.

Atat. 57.

1767.

and noble collection of books, which he used to say was more numerous and curious than he fuppofed any perfon could have made in the time which the King had employed. Mr. Barnard, the librarian, took care that he should have every accommodation that could contribute to his ease and convenience, while indulging his literary tafte in that place; fo that he had here a very agreeable refource at leisure hours.

His Majefty having been informed of his occafional vifits, was pleased to fignify a defire that he should be told when Dr. Johnfon came next to the library. Accordingly, the next time that Johnfon did come, as foon as he was fairly engaged with a book, on which, while he fat by the fire, he feemed quite intent, Mr. Barnard ftole round to the apartment where the King was, and, in obedience to his Majefty's commands, mentioned that Dr. Johnson was then in the library. His Majefty faid he was at leifure, and would go to him; upon which Mr. Barnard took one of the candles that stood on the King's table, and lighted his Majesty through a fuite of rooms, till they came to a private door into the library, of which his Majefty had the key. Being entered, Mr. Barnard ftepped forward haftily to Dr. Johnfon, who was ftill in a profound study, and whispered him, "Sir, here is the King." Johnfon started up, and stood ftill. His Majefty approached him, and at once was courteously eafy 7.

His Majefty began by obferving, that he understood he came fometimes to the library; and then mentioning his having heard that the Doctor had been

• Dr. Johnson had the honour of contributing his affiftance towards the formation of this library; for I have read a long letter from him to Mr. Barnard, giving the moft mafterly inftructions on the fubject. I wished much to have gratified my readers with the perufal of this letter, and have reafon to think that his Majefty would have been graciously pleafed to permit its publication; but Mr. Barnard, to whom I applied, declined it " on his own account."

7 The particulars of this converfation I have been at great pains to collect with the utmost authenticity, from Dr. Johnson's own detail to myfelf; from Mr. Langton, who was present when he gave an account of it to Dr. Jofeph Warton, and several other friends, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's ; from Mr. Barnard; from the copy of a letter written by the late Mr. Strahan the printer, to Bishop Warburton; and from a minute, the original of which is among the papers of the late Sir James Caldwell, and a copy of which was moft obligingly obtained for me from his fon Sir John Caldwell, by Sir Francis Lumm. To all thefe gentlemen I beg leave to make my grateful acknowledgements, and particularly to Sir Francis Lumm, who was pleafed to take a great deal of trouble, and even had the minute laid before the King by Lord Caermarthen, now Duke of Leeds, one of his Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State, who announced to Sir Francis the Royal pleasure concerning it by a letter, in thefe words: "I have the King's commands to affure you, Sir, how fenfible his Majefty is of your attention in communicating the minute of the converfation previous to its publication. As there appears no objection to your complying with Mr. Bofwell's wishes on the fubject, you are at full liberty to deliver it to that gentleman, to make fuch ufe of in his Life of Dr. Johnfon, as he may think proper,"

lately

1767.

lately at Oxford, asked him if he was not fond of going thither. To which
Johnson answered, that he was indeed fond of going to Oxford fometimes, Etat. 58.
but was likewife glad to come back again. The King then asked him what
they were doing at Oxford. Johnson answered, he could not much commend
their diligence, but that in fome refpects they were mended, for they had put
their prefs under better regulations, and were at that time printing Polybius.
He was then asked whether there were better libraries at Oxford or Cambridge.
He answered, he believed the Bodleian was larger than any they had at Cam-
bridge; at the fame time adding, "I hope, whether we have more books or
not than they have at Cambridge, we fhall make as good ufe of them as they
do." Being asked whether All-Souls or Chrift-Church library was the largest,
he answered, “ All-Souls library is the largest we have, except the Bodleian.”
Aye, (faid the King,) that is the publick library."

His Majefty enquired if he was then writing any thing. He anfwered,
he was not, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and must
now read to acquire more knowledge. The King, as it fhould feem with a
view to urge him to rely on his own stores as an original writer, and to continue
his labours, then faid, "I do not think you borrow much from any body.'
Johnson faid, he thought he had already done his part as a writer. "I should
have thought fo too, (faid the King,) if you had not written fo well.”—
Johnson obferved to me, upon this, that "No man could have paid a hand-
fomer compliment; and it was fit for a King to pay. It was decifive." When
afked by another friend, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, whether he made any reply
to this high compliment, he answered, "No, Sir.
"No, Sir. When the King had faid
it, it was to be fo. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my fovereign."
Perhaps no man who had spent his whole life in courts could have fhewn a
more nice and dignified fenfe of true politenefs, than Johnson did in this instance.

His Majefty having obferved to him that he supposed he must have read a great deal; Johnson anfwered, that he thought more than he read; that he had read a great deal in the early part of his life, but having fallen into ill health, he had not been able to read much, compared with others: for inftance, he faid he had not read much compared with Dr. Warburton. Upon which the King faid, that he heard Dr. Warburton was a man of fuch general knowledge, that you could scarce talk with him on any fubject on which he was not qualified to speak; and that his learning refembled Garrick's acting, in its univerfality. His Majefty then talked of the controverfy between Warburton and Lowth, which he seemed to have read, and afked Johnson what he thought of it. Johnfon anfwered, "Warburton has moft general,

moft

1