be so distinguished, 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.

"When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your Lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the 5 enchantment of your address, and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself Le vainqueur du vainqueuer de la terre. Seven years, my Lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through diffi- 10 culties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a Patron before.

"The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.

15

"Is not a Patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice 20 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 solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity, not to confess obligations where 25 no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the Publick should consider me as owing that to a Patron, which Providence has enabled me to do for myself.

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'Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed 30 though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; 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,

Most obedient servant,
SAM. JOHNSON."

35

D

"While this was the talk of the town (says Dr. Adams), Dr. Warburton, finding that I was acquainted with Johnson, desired me earnestly to carry his compliments to him, and to tell him, that he honoured him for his manly behaviour in 5 rejecting these condescensions of Lord Chesterfield, and for resenting the treatment he had received from him with a proper spirit. Johnson was visibly pleased with this compliment, for he had always a high opinion of Warburton. In the tenth Satire one of the couplets upon the vanity of wishes 10 even for literary distinction stood thus:

memorial. "When Johnson came to Oxford in 1754, he wished to see his old College, Pembroke. I went with him. He was highly pleased to find all the College-servants which he had left there still remaining, particularly a very old butler. The master, Dr. Radcliffe, received him very 5 coldly. Johnson at least expected that the master would order a copy of his Dictionary, now near publication; but the master did not choose to talk on the subject, never asked Johnson to dine, nor even to visit him, while he stayed at Oxford. Johnson said, 'There lives a man, who lives by the 10 revenues of literature, and will not move a finger to support it. If I come to live at Oxford, I shall take up my abode at Trinity.' We then called on the Reverend Mr. Meeke.

"JOHNSON: 'I remember, at the classical lecture in the Hall, I could not bear Meeke's superiority, and I tried to 15 sit as far from him as I could, that I might not hear him construe.'

"Mr. Wise, Radclivian librarian, read to us a dissertation on some old divinities of Thrace, called the CABIRI. As we returned to Oxford in the evening, I out-walked Johnson, 20 and he cried out Sufflamina, a Latin word, which came from his mouth with peculiar grace, and was as much as to say, Put on your drag chain. Before we got home, I again walked too fast for him; and he now cried out, 'Why, you walk as if you were pursued by all the CABIRI in a body.' 25 In an evening we frequently took long walks from Oxford into the country, returning to supper. Once, in our way home we viewed the ruins of the abbies of Oseney and Rewley, near Oxford. After at least half an hour's silence, Johnson said, 'I viewed them with indignation!' We had then a long 30 conversation on Gothic buildings; and in talking of the form of old halls, he said, 'In these halls, the fire-place was anciently always in the middle of the room, till the Whigs removed it on one side.' 'Meeke was left behind at Oxford to feed on a Fellowship, and I went to London to get 35 my living now, Sir, see the difference of our literary characters !'"

The degree of Master of Arts was now considered as an honour of considerable importance, in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary; and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high, his friends thought 5 that, if proper exertions were made, the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment.

10

TO THE REVEREND THOMAS WARTON.

"I am extremely obliged to you and to Mr. Wise for the uncommon care which you have taken of my interest.

"You know poor Mr. Dodsley has lost his wife; I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine.

Οἴμοι· τι δ ̓ οἴμοι; θνητὰ γὰρ πεπόνθαμεν.

I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind; a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life, without any 15 direction, or fixed point of view: a gloomy gazer on the world to which I have little relation. SAM. JOHNSON."

20

In 1755 we behold him to great advantage; his degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him, his Dictionary published, his correspondence animated, his benevolence exercised.

Dr. Adams, visiting him one day, found his parlour floor covered with parcels of foreign and English literary journals, and he told Dr. Adams he meant to undertake a Review. "How, Sir (said Dr. Adams), can you think of doing it alone? All branches of knowledge must be considered in it. Do 25 you know Mathematicks? Do you know Natural History?" Johnson answered, "Why, Sir, I must do as well as I can. My chief purpose is to give my countrymen a view of what is doing in literature upon the continent; and I shall have, in a good measure, the choice of my subject, for I shall select 30 such books as I best understand." Dr. Adams suggested Dr. Maty as an assistant. "He (said Johnson), the little black dog! I'd throw him into the Thames." The scheme, however, was dropped.

Mr. Andrew Millar, bookseller in the Strand, took the

principal charge of conducting the publication of Johnson's Dictionary; and as the patience of the proprietors was repeatedly tried and almost exhausted, by their expecting that the work would be compleated within the time which Johnson had sanguinely supposed, the learned author was often 5 goaded to dispatch, more especially as he had received all the copy money, by different drafts, a considerable time before he had finished his task. When the messenger who carried the last sheet to Millar returned, Johnson asked him, "Well, what did he say?"-"Sir (answered the messenger), he said, 10 "Thank GOD I have done with him."" "I am glad (replied Johnson, with a smile), that he thanks GOD for any thing."

"I have a mother more than eighty years old, who has 15 counted the days to the publication of my book, in hopes of seeing me; and to her, if I can disengage myself here, I resolve to go.

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'When the duty that calls me to Lichfield is discharged, my inclination will carry me to Langton. I shall delight to 20 hear the ocean roar, or see the stars twinkle, in the company of men to whom Nature does not spread her volumes or utter her voice in vain. SAM. JOHNSON."

The Dictionary, with a Grammar and History of the English Language, being now at length published, in two volumes 25 folio, the world contemplated with wonder so stupendous a work achieved by one man, while other countries had thought such undertakings fit only for whole academies. One of its excellencies has always struck me with peculiar admiration; I mean the perspicuity with which he has expressed abstract 30 scientific notions. As an instance of this, I shall quote the following sentence : "When the radical idea branches out into parallel ramifications, how can a consecutive series be formed of senses in their nature collateral?"

A few of his definitions must be admitted to be erroneous. 35 Thus, Windward and Leeward, though directly of opposite