"Sir Charles Grandison I have not read. The reflection of having thrown away much precious time formerly in useless and unprofitable reading makes me extremely cautious; and I am in a bookseller's shop, like a bee in a garden, which you have seen fly round and round, from flower to flower, nor ever rests on any till it finds one which will yield pure honey. So I just touched Sir Charles Grandison in my examining flight; but, from my instinct, found there was no honey for me. Yet I am far from saying there may not be miel très doux for other kind of bees. However, I find the few to whose judgment I pay the greatest deference agree with you. Mr. Richardson's intention I honour; but to apply your own words truly on this occasion-The best intention may be troublesome.' And perhaps the same way and manner of executing may weary. His mistaking the manners and life of those whom you truly say we condescend to call great people, is, I think, very pardonable. It would not be worth a naturalist's while to spend the greatest part of his time in observing the va rious tinctures a camelion takes from every body it approaches; and yet he must do so, to give a true representation of the colours of its life. You can make the application.

"I am entirely of your opinion with regard to education. I will labour all I can to produce plenty. But sanguine hopes will never tempt me to feel the torture of cutting disappointment. I have seen even Paul plant and Apollos water in vain, and am convinced God only can give the increase 2. Mine is a fruitful soil. Miss Fitzherbert is yet every thing I can wish. Her eldest brother, a fine lively boy; but, entre nous, too indulgent a father will make it necessary for him to be sent to school-the sooner the better. Do you know of any school where a boy of six years old would be taken care of, chiefly as to his morals, and taught English, French, &c., till of a fit age for a public school?

"You do not say a word of the Dictionary. Miss Fitzherbert and I are impatient for its publication. I know you will be so indulgent to a friend, as to let me have the pleasure of hearing from you soon. My sincere regard and best wishes will always attend you, as I am, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"A rainy day has prevented my drinking the waters, or I should have hazarded the head-ache, rather than have been longer silent."

LETTER VII.

"Bath, 20th May, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-How was I surprised this morning, when, on opening a letter from you, with the pleasing expectation of its being a reply to one I wrote to you above a week ago, I found you kindly complaining of my silence. The reflections you begin your letter with seemed to me, at first, as if you had mistaken in directing it to me, as I well knew I felt, and had very lately expressed, a regard you could not have the least doubt of. The servant assures me he put my letter into the post-box himself. The post-master assures me, none put there ever fail. Yet somehow this has failed. I shall be sorry if it does not reach you, as there were some parts of it (for it was no short one) wrote with the freedom and confidence of friendship; and the whole sufficient to prove I am never long silent, but from necessity. If this wanderer does at last find you, dear sir, signify its arrival as soon as possible to me. I would not have any thing lost which would be of the least value to you. But if it is lost, my intention and execution of it will still remain as testimonies for me; and if it is possible any one of your friends could give occasion for imputations of inconstancy and unkindness, you may be assured I am, on motives which are invariable, dear sir, your affectionate friend,

"H. BOOTHBY.

"We are to leave this place on Tuesday the 28th, and set out for Tissington, where I long to be. I hope to take much better health thither, for the use of my dear little nursery."

LETTER VIII.

"Tissington, 5th June, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-The first leisure moment I have, is most justly due to the compliance with your kind request to be informed of our arrival here; and with much pleasure I tell you, that, after a very good journey of four days, we were met with the bloom of health, and the endearing smiles of innocence, last Friday, at Tissington. The sensations of joy and thankfulness I experienced on this interview with the little creatures are not to be described: but, I am persuaded, no heart but hers who bequeathed them to me, ever so truly owned or received them as children.

"The loss of that letter I can no way account for-think no more of it. The subject of part of it was my then situation, and some reflections on the exceeding decline of conversation I observed in general: in which there seemed to be no other propriety than that of trifling French words to trifling somethings, not worthy of being called thoughts. I mentioned Adventurers, &c. and expressed, as well as I could, my particular satisfaction in Mr. Johnson's bullion, or rather pure sterling, amidst the tinsel base-mixed stuff I met with, and the high value I set on his letters. I gave you an abstract of Farneworth's History, which I have not time to repeat. I thank you for thinking of a school, and recommending one. Your recommendation would immediately fix me, if I alone was to determine. Two have been particularly recommended to Mr. Fitzherbert, Fulham and Wandsworth; and we have for some time been making all the inquiry we can into

both. The last I have many objections to. I shall be much obliged to you for a more particular account of your friend; as-how many boys he takes his rules and rates-and also if he has a French and dancing master. I am strongly biassed towards a man you speak so well of. Thatwell instructed in virtue, is the thing I want: and a visit from you now and then, to confirm this instruction, is a high inducement. To some proper place I hope I shall be permitted to take this dear boy this summer, when I also hope for the pleasure of seeing you. 1 know it will be a pleasure to you to assist me in an affair of such consequence, on many accounts; and I shall not say any more to Mr. Fitzherbert about Fulham till I hear from you; which I assure you, I never do without great satisfaction; as I am, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"Excuse the effects of hurry. I have a cold I brought from Bath; otherwise I am in much better health than I have been for above twelve months past."

LETTER IX.

“Tissington, 1st July, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-Truth is my delight: no establishment of custom will, I hope, ever make me deviate from it. And as an excuse seems to me a kind of screen, which has at least the appearance of concealing something we would not have seen, I make none. Nor shall I now say more upon my long silence, than that I have thought and felt it such myself, and from thence leave you to infer that it has been unavoidable. Your last letter was such a one as I expected from you on such a subject—that is, so clear, full, candid, sensible, kind, and friendly, as I hardly ever saw from any other. If I had your talent of expression, I could expatiate on this letter with great pleasure; but as I have not, I must deny myself this indulgence, and treasure up those observations I have made for my own use, which if I could in the best manner express, you do not need for yours. I communicated what you said of Mr. Elphinston 1 to Mr. Fitzherbert, who desires me to say, with his regard to you, that he is much obliged to you, but upon the whole, Mr. Elphinston is not the person he would choose. Though Mr. Fitzherbert is no warm party man, yet I believe, the "Scotchman" and "Nonjuror" would be insuperable objections. Fulham, I think, will be chosen, at least for a time. The hope of your seeing this dear boy sometimes is a comfortable one; thank you for it. His going from home, and at a distance, I am sure you would see the necessity of, could I lay before you the reasons which daily urge me to feel it. Less evils must be submitted to, with the view of avoiding greater. I cannot help, with much pity, regarding a mere fox-hunter as an animal little superior to those he pursues, and dreading every path that seems to lead towards this miserable chase.

"My health continues tolerable, thank God; yours, and every other good, I sincerely wish you. If present resolutions hold, I may have the pleas

1 Mr. James Elphinston, who kept a school at Kensington.-WRIGHT. (See ante, vol. i. p. 85. We gather from this letter that Mr. Elphinston was a nonjuror.ED.]

ure of seeing and conversing with you; however, I hope for that of hearing from you. I beg you never to let me lose one of your reflections upon life. Drop them on the paper just as they arise from your mind: I love them, and profit by them, and I am pleased particularly sometimes to find one of my own, brightened and adorned with your strong and masterly colouring, which gives me back the image of my mind, like the meeting an old acquaintance after absence, but extremely improved. I have no reason, I own, to expect a letter from you soon; but think not that, because I have not before now desired one, I do not deserve one, because I can with truth assure you I have this claim. Nobody can more value your correspondence, or be with greater esteem than I am, dear sir, your friend, and obliged humble servant, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER X.

"Tissington, 5th August, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-I have, as you desired, endeavoured to think about and examine your hypothesis; but this dear little boy, and the change resolved on for him, would not suffer me to speculate in a general way to much purpose. Must you not allow our perception of pain and of pleasure to be in an equal degree? Or does it not often happen, that we are even more sensible to pain than pleasure? If so, those changes which do not increase our present happiness, will not enable us to feel the next vicissitude of gladness with quicker, but only with equal, or with a less degree of perception; and consequently we shall be either no gainers or losers on the whole. And yet, though I am sure I shall experience the truth of this, if I only see you for a few hours, I shall however desire to see you. This is an enigma I leave to your solution, and proceed to tell you, that, if nothing intervenes to change it, our present resolution is, that we are to set out for Fulham on Wednesday se'nnight the 14th of August. On account of the dear little ones I shall leave here, I shall be obliged to make a speedy return; and propose staying only a week at a friend's in Putney, to see every thing fixed, as well as I can, for my young man. But I will contrive to see you and a very few more of my friends in town; and you shall hear from me, as to the when and where, from Putney. You, full of kindness, sitting in your study, will, I know, say-Why does she hurry herself about so?" I answer, to save you the pain of this thought, that travelling always is very serviceable to me in point of health.

"You will never provoke me to contradict you, unless you contradict me, without reasons and exemplification to support your opinion. "Tis very true-all these things you have enumerated are equally pitiable with a poor fox-hunter. 'Tis not in man to direct, either his own or the way of others aright; nor do I ever look but to the supreme and all-wise Governor of the universe, either for direction or with hope. I know you kindly mean to avert the pain of disappointment by discouraging expectation, but mine is never sanguine with regard to any thing here. Mine is truly a life of faith, not of sight; and thus I never, as Milton says

bate one jot

Of heart or hope; but still bear up, and steer Right onward."

"I like not the conclusion of your last letter; it is an ill compliment to call that mean, which the person you speak to most highly esteems and values. Know yourself and me better for the future, and be assured you both are and ought to be much regarded and honoured by, dear sir, your grateful and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"Your dedication to your great Dictionary I have heard of in these words-A specimen of perfection in the English language."

LETTER XI.

"Putney, 9th August, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-As I promised, this is to inform you of our being here, but at present I cannot say more. The pleasure of seeing you, with the ways and means of procuring this pleasure, must be deferred for some days. This evening we take dear Billy to school, and till I have seen how he settles there, I am fixed here. Form some little plan for me, to be executed towards the latter end of this week; for really I am not capable of forming any myself at this time-and communicate it by the penny-post in a billet to me at Mrs. D'Aranda's in Putney. I and my little companions here are well, and all has a favourable aspect with regard to the dear boy's situation. I never forget any thing you say; and now have in my mind a very just and useful observation of yours, viz. The effect of education is very precarious. But what can be hoped without it? Though the harvest may be blasted, we must yet cultivate the ground,' &c. I am (somewhat abruptly)—but I am, dear sir, your much obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XII.

"Sunday evening, Holborn-bridge. "DEAR SIR,-Do you think I would have been almost two days in town without seeing you, if I could either have been at liberty to have made you a visit, or have received one from you? No: you cannot think so unjustly of me. The truth is, I have been in a hurry ever since I came here, and am not well. To-morrow I am obliged to go a little way into the country. On Tuesday, Dr. Lawrence has engaged me to spend the evening at his house, where I hope to meet you, and fix with you some hour in which to see you again on Wednesday. Thursday, down towards Derbyshire. Thus is whirled about this little machine; which, however, contains a mind unsubject to rotation. Such you will always find it. "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XIII.

"Putney, 23d August, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-Unless a very great change is made in you, you can never have the least reason to apprehend the loss of my esteem. Caprice may have accompanied the morning, and perhaps

1 [She must mean the Prospectus addressed to Lord Chesterfield, which had been published so long before as 1747, of which the original manuscript, with some marginal notes by Lord Chesterfield, is in the possession of Mr. Anderdon.-ED 1

noon of my life, but my evening has banished that fickle wanderer; and as now I fix not without deliberation and well-weighed choice, I am not subject to change.

"Your very kind visit was a new obligation, which, if I could express my sense of it, must be less. Common favours it is easy to acknowledge, but a delicate sensibility to real proofs of esteem and friendship are not easily to be made known.

"Mr. Millar's method 2 seems to me to be a very right one, and for the reasons you give; and if he will please to carry the catalogue to Mr. Whiston, by the time I shall be in town, I imagine he will have appraised the books; and then we will proceed to the disposal of them, as you shall judge best. Mr. Fitzherbert I have not seen since I had the pleasure of seeing you, and therefore cannot yet say when I can again have that pleasure; but I hope some time next week to repay your visit. I have an aching head to-day, so great an enemy to my inclination, that it will not let me say more than that I am, with much esteem and true regard, dear sir, your affectionate friend, "Н. ВоотнBY. "Mrs. D'Aranda and the young ladies desire compliments. My regards to Miss Williams.”

LETTER XIV.

"Tissington, 12th September, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-I told you I would call upon you before I left London, if I could. I much desired to have seen you again; it was in my mind all Thursday, but so it happened, it was not in my power. Mr. Fitzherbert having changed his mind, and determined not to go to Tunbridge, suddenly took up another resolution, which was to take a house in town, and engaged me to go with him to see one in Cavendish-square, where I was the greatest part of the morning, and met with what took up the rest of the day, besides so much fatigue as would alone have disabled for going out again after I got to Holborn. But, as we are likely to be in town again the next month, and stay there long, I hope I shall have frequent opportunities of seeing you, both where I shall be and at your own house. Thank God we arrived here well on Monday, and found my little dear charge all in perfect health and joy. My brother I shall see next week, and then can fully communicate to him all you was so good as to execute for us in the library affair, and your opinion concerning the disposal of the books. I only saw enough of you in Putney, and in town, to make me wish to see more. It will soon be in your power to gratify this wish. Place is a thing pretty indifferent to me, but London I am least fond of any; however, the conversation of some few in it will soon take off my dislike. I do not mean this as a letter; call it what you will. It is only to tell you why I did not see you again; that I hope a future time will recompense for this loss; that we are safe here; and that every where I am, and shall be, with much esteem, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY. "You can write amidst the tattle of women,

2 [This relates to the sale of some books, which Miss Boothby's brother wanted to dispose of, and about which she employed Johnson to speak to some booksellers.ED.]

because your attention is so strong to sense that you are deaf to sound. I wonder whether you could write amidst the prattle of children; no better than 1, I really believe, if they were your own children, as I find these prattlers are mine."

LETTER XV.

"Tissington, 28th September, 1754. "DEAR SIR, Do you wait to hear again from me? or why is it that I am so long without the pleasure of hearing from you? Had my brother kept his appointment, I should not have failed to give you a second letter sooner; now is the first moment I could tell you his determination concerning the books. But first I am to give you his compliments and thanks for your part in the affair. He thinks, as the sum offered by Mr. Whis ton is so small a one, and his son is likely to be a scholar, it will be best to suspend any sale of the books for the present; and if on further consideration he finds he must part with them, then to do it in the method you proposed; as in that way some may be selected for his son's use, and the rest sold, so as to make more than to be parted with to a book seller. Upon considering both sides of the question, he rather chooses the hazard on one side, with the certainty of greater profits in case of success, than to accept of Mr. Whiston's sum for all the books at present. But I am preparing for a journey to town; and there I hope I shall have an opportunity of explaining upon this subject in a clearer manner; for, though I know what I would say, I cannot say it clearly amidst the confusion of ideas in my head at this time. I beg to hear from you; however little I may deserve, I cannot help much desiring a letter from you. If your taste and judgment cannot allow me any thing as a writer, yet let my merit as a sincere friend demand a return. In this demand I will yield to none; for I am sure none can have a truer esteem and friendship towards you than, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XVI.

"Tuesday, 29th October, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-From what Mrs. Lawrence told me I have had daily hopes of the pleasure of seeing you here, which has prevented my desiring that favour. I am much mortified by the disappointment of having been so long in town without one of the greatest satisfactions I promised myself in it-your conversation: and, in short, if you will not come here, I must make you a visit 1. I should have called upon you before this time if the settling of my dear little charge here had not employed me so much at home; now that business is almost completed. Pray say when and where I may have the pleasure of seeing you. Perhaps you may not imagine how much I am affected by the not receiving any reply to two letters I wrote before we left Derbyshire, and the being a fortnight in town without seeing a person whom I highly esteem, and to whom I am an obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

1 It must be observed in this, the preceding, and the following letters, how few the interviews between Dr. Johnson and Miss Boothby seem to have been even when they resided in the same place.-ED.]

LETTER XVII.

"Friday-night, 29th November, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-How particularly unlucky I was to be out to-day when you came! For above these fourteen days have I never been a moment from home, but closely attending my poor dear Miss Fitzherbert, who has been very ill, and unwillingly left her to-day to pay a debt of civility long due. I imagined if you came to-day, it would be about the time of my return home. But that we may be the better acquainted with each other's hours, and I secure from another mortifying disappointment, I send to tell you that not being an evening rapper to people's doors, whenever I do go out it is in a morning-a town-morning-between noon and three o'clock; and that for the next four mornings I must be out. Now can't you as conveniently let me have the pleasure of seeing you at five some evening? Name any one, and you shall have your tea as I can make it, and a gratification infinitely superior I know in your estimation to any other, that of seeing your presence gives great pleasure to a friend; for such 1 most sincerely am to you. "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XVIII 2.

"DEAR SIR, I have company, from whom 1 run just to say I have often rejoiced to see your hand, but never so much as now. Come and see me as soon as you can; and I shall forgive an absence which has indeed given me no small disturbance. I am, dear sir, your affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XIX.

"DEAR SIR,-Perhaps you are the only author in England who could make a play a very acceptable present to me. But you have; and I assure you I shall leave your Irene behind me 3 when I go hence, in my little repository of valuable things. Miss Fitzherbert is much delighted, and desires her best thanks. The author's company would have more enhanced the value of the present; but that we will hope for soon. I am much obliged to you for the good account of the Lawrences, and for many things which increase my regard, and confirm me in being, dear sir, your affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XX.

"15th May, 1755.

"MY GOOD FRIEND,-I hoped to have seen you here last night, as the doctor told me he had informed you I was in town again. It is hard to be suspected of coldness and indifference at the very time when one is, and with reason, most strongly sensible of the contrary. From your own kind conduct to me, in particular lately, you who are accustomed to make just inferences and conclusions, might have easily made the true ones, and have discovered there was too much to be expressed 4. To a less penetrating person this

2 [This undated note seems to imply that there had been an interruption of their intercourse, occasioned either by some misunderstanding or by illness; if by the latter, the date was probably in the winter of 1755.-ED.]

3 Miss Boothby probably left town before Christmas, 1755, and did not return till about May, 1756.-FD.]

4[These expressions, it must be owned, seem to partake of the tender; but the age and circumstances of the

might occasion a surprise of neglect; but I could not have imagined you would or could have been so deceived. My friendship is a poor acquisition; but you see it is so far valuable that it is firm and constant. Then you will say it is not a poor acquisition. Well, be it what it will, be assured you have as far as it can ever extend either to please or serve you. But do not suspect me. I have an opportunity just now to send this-therefore no more till I see you; except that I am, indeed with much esteein, gratitude, and affection, dear sir, your friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"I hope I am better, and Miss F. in a good way. She has the measles."

LETTER XXI.

"Tissington, 15th June, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-That we arrived safe here, and had every thing to make our journey easy and pleasant, is most of what I have time to say, except that amidst the smiles of the country, a country 1 love, my native one, and the smiles of my children, whom I love much more, I am sensible you are a hundred and forty miles distant. This is not like forgetting you. At present I am the worse for the fatigue of travelling; which, contrary to custom, was a great one to me: but I hope this pure, sweet air, will have a great influence upon my health when I have recovered my fatigue. Your little friend is I think the better for her four days' exercise. You were the subject of our conversation many times on the road, and will often be so. I hope I shall soon find you think of us. I can never forget the hours you generously bestowed on one who has no claim or merit, but that of being, dear sir, with much esteem, your grateful and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"Miss Fitzherbert's love to you; no small treasure, I assure you."

LETTER XXII.

"Tissington, 4th July, 1755. "Two letters from Mr. Johnson! Why did I not reply to the first kind greeting before he answered my letter? I don't love to be outdone in kindness; and I was both angry and pleased when I saw your second letter, my good friend. But the truth is I have been lazy. It had been long since I had known what quiet was; and I found in nyself, both inwardly and outwardly, a strong inclination to enjoy it. I read your letters over and over; but till now I could not sit down to write to you. It is true I am abstracted from cominon life, as you say. What is common life but a repetition of the same things over and over? And is it made up of such things as a thinking, reflecting being can bear the repetition of over and over long without weariness? 1 have found not; and therefore my view is turned to the things of that life which must be begun here, is ever new and increasing, and will be continued eternally

parties, and the context of other letters, induce the Editor to attribute these and certain similar expressions which he will soon observe in Dr. Johnson's answers, to the enthusiastic style in which Miss Boothby and her friends indulged. See particularly the next letters of the lady, in which it appears that she was endeavouring to proselyte Johnson to her peculiar views of some religious subjects-ED.]

hereafter. Yet, mistake me not, I am so far from excluding social duties from this life that I 'am sure they are a part of it, and can only be duly and truly exerted in it. Common life I call not social life; but in general that dissipation and wandering which leads from the duties of it. While I was in town I did not feel myself as a part of that multitude around me. The objects I saw at dinners, &c. except yourself, when they had any of my attention, drew it only to pity their want of attention to what chiefly concerned their happiness; and oftener they were as passing straws on the surface of a Dovedale stream 1, an and went as lightly and as quick over the surface of my mind. My importance here I wish was greater, if it might please God to grant me another wish, that of making one soul better and happier. I think reputation and dignity have no value, but as far as they may be made means of influencing and leading into virtue and piety. Mankind of all degrees are naturally the same: manners differ from different causes, but not men. A miner in Derbyshire, under the appearance of simplicity and honesty, has perhaps more art than the most accomplished statesman. We are all alike bad, my dear friend, depend upon it, till a change is wrought upon us, not by our own reasoning, but by the same Divine Power who first created and pronounced all he had made very good. From this happy state we all plainly fell, and to it can we only be restored by the second Adam, who wrought out a full and complete redemption and restoration for us. Is this enthusiasm? Indeed it is truth and I trust you will some time be sure it is so; and then, and not till then, will you be happy, as I ardently wish you. I am much better. My cough is now nothing, and my voice almost clear. I am weak yet, too weak to attempt to see Dovedale. But keep your resolution, and come and see us; and I hope I shall be able to walk there with you. I give you leave to fear the loss of me, but doubt not in the least of my affection and friendship; this I cannot forgive. Miss Fitzherbert says she does not forget her promise. She is studying your Ramblers to form her style, and hopes soon to give you a specimen of good writing. She is very well, and flying about the fields every fair day, as the rest are.

"Let me hear from you as soon as you can. I love your letters, and always rejoice to find my. self in your thoughts. You are very frequently in mine; and seldom without a petition to Heaven for you. Poor is that love which is bounded by the narrow space of this temporal scene: mine extends to an eternity; and I cannot desire any thing less for you, for whom I have the sincerest regard, than endless happiness; as a proof that I am truly, dear sir, your affectionate friend,

"H. BOOTHBY.

"The great Dictionary is placed in full view, on a desk in my own room. I am sorry you have met with some disappointments in the next edition 2. Best wishes to Miss Williams.

"Do not say you have heard from me at the good doctor's 3. I should write to him, but have

1 [Tissington is within a walk of Dovedale, one side of which belongs to the Fitzherberts.-ED.]

2 [What these were do not appear. See ante, vol. i. p. 130, n.-ED.] 3 [Dr. Lawrence--ED.]