himself. To this Johnson made some valuable additions, and also furnished to the editor, the Reverend Mr. Derby, a Dedication,† which I shall here insert, both because it will appear at this time with peculiar propriety; and because it will tend to propagate and increase that" fervour of Loyalty," which in me, who boast of the name of TORY, is not only a principle, but a passion. 66 SIR, 66 TO THE KING. "I PRESUME to lay before your Majesty the last labours of a learned Bishop, who died in the toils and duties of his calling. He is now beyond the reach of all earthly honours and rewards; and only the hope of inciting others to imitate him, makes it now fit to be remembered, that he enjoyed in his life the favour of your Majesty. "The tumultuary life of Princes seldom permits them to survey the wide extent of national interest, without losing sight of private merit; to exhibit qualities which may be imitated by the highest and the humblest of mankind: and to be at once amiable and great. "Such characters, if now and then they appear in history, are contemplated with admiration. May it be the ambition of all your subjects to make haste with their tribute of reverence; and as posterity may learn from your Majesty how Kings should live, may they learn likewise from your people how they should be honour ed. I am, "May it please your Majesty, "With the most profound respect, "Most dutiful and devoted, Subject and Servant." In the summer he wrote a Prologue* which was spoken before" A Word to the Wise," a comedy by Mr. Hugh Kelly, which had been brought upon the stage in 1770; but he being a writer for ministry in one of the news-papers, it fell a sacrifice to popular fury, and, in the play-house phrase, was damned. By the generosity of Mr. Harris, the proprietor of CoventGarden theatre, it was now exhibited for one night, for the benefit of the authour's widow and children. To conciliate the favour of the audience was the intention of Johnson's Prologue, which, as it is not long, I shall hére insert, as a proof that his poetical talents were in no degree impaired. "THIS night presents a play, which publick rage, "The man whom Fate has laid where all must lie. "To wit, reviving from its authour's dust, 66 Be kind, ye judges, or at least be just: "Let no renewed hostilities invade "Th' oblivious grave's inviolable shade. By harmless merriment, or useful sense. "If want of skill or want of care appear, "Forbear to hiss ;-the poet cannot hear. 66 By all, like him, must praise and blame be found, "When pleasure fir'd her torch at virtue's flame, A circumstance which could not fail to be very pleasing to Johnson, occurred this year. The Tragedy of" Sir Thomas Overbury," written by his early com panion in London, Richard Savage, was brought out with alterations at Drury-lane theatre. The Prologue to it was written by Mr. Richard Brinsley Sheridan; in which, after describing very pathetically the wretchedness of "Ill-fated Savage, at whose birth was giv'n "No parent but the Muse, no friend but Heav'n : he introduced an elegant compliment to Johnson on his Dictionary, that wonderful performance which cannot be too often or too highly praised; of which Mr. Harris, in his " Philological Inquiries," justly and liberally observes," Such is its merit, that our language does not possess a more copious, learned, and valuable work." The concluding lines of this Prologue were these : "So pleads the tale that gives to future times "Fix'd by THE HAND THAT BIDS OUR LANGUAGE LIVE." Mr. Sheridan here at once did honour to his taste and to his liberality of sentiment, by showing that he was not prejudiced from the unlucky difference which had taken place between his worthy father and Dr. Johnson. I have already mentioned, that Johnson was very desirous of reconciliation with old Mr. Sheridan. 7 [Our authour has here fallen into a slight mistake: the prologue to this revived tragedy being written by Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Boswell very naturally supposed that it was performed at Drury-lane theatre. But in fact, as Mr. Kemble observes to me, it was acted at the theatre in Covent Garden. MALONE.] 8 Part First, Chap. 4. "Life of Richard Savage, by Dr. Johnson." It will, therefore, not seem at all surprising that he was zealous in acknowledging the brilliant merit of his son. While it had as yet been displayed only in the drama, Johnson proposed him as a member of THE LITERARY CLUB, observing, that " He who has written the two best comedies of his age, is surely a considerable man.” And he had, accordingly, the honour to be elected; for an honour it undoubtedly must be allowed to be, when it is considered of whom that society consists, and that a single black ball excludes a candidate. 66 MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. 66 MY DEAR SIR, July 9, 1777. "FOR the health of my wife and children I have taken the little country-house at which you visited my uncle, Dr. Boswell, who, having lost his wife, is gone to live with his son. We took possession of our villa about a week ago; we have a garden of three quarters of an acre, well stocked with fruit-trees and flowers, and gooseberries and currants, and pease and beans, and cabbages, &c. &c. and my children are quite happy. I now write to you in a little study, from the window of which I see around me a verdant grove, and beyond it the lofty mountain called Arthur's Seat. "Your last letter, in which you desire me to send you some additional information concerning Thomson, reached me very fortunately just as I was going to Lanark, to put my wife's two nephews, the young Campbell's, to school there, under the care of Mr. Thomson, the master of it, whose wife is sister to the author of The Seasons.' She is an old woman; but her memory is very good; and she will with pleasure give me for you every particular that you wish to know, 6 and she can tell. Pray then take the trouble to send me such questions as may lead to biographical materials. You say that the Life which we have of Thomson is scanty. Since I received your letter, I have read his Life, published under the name of Cibber, but as you told me, really written by a Mr. Shiels; that written by Dr. Murdoch; one prefixed to an edition of the " Seasons," published at Edinburgh, which is compounded of both, with the addition of an anecdote of Quin's relieving Thomson from prison; the abridgement of Murdoch's account of him, in the Biographia Britannica,' and another abridgement of it in the Biographical Dictionary,' enriched with Dr. Joseph Warton's critical panegyrick on the Seasons,' in his Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope:' from all these it appears to me that we have a pretty full account of this poet. However, you will, I doubt not, shew me many blanks, and I shall do what can be done to have them filled up. As Thomson never returned to Scotland, (which you will think very wise,) his sister can speak from her own knowledge only as to the early part of his life. She has some letters from him, which may probably give light as to his more advanced progress, if she will let us see them, which I suppose she will. I believe George Lewis Scott and Dr. Armstrong are now his only surviving companions, while he lived in and about London; and they, I dare say, can tell more of him than is yet known. My own notion is, that Thomson was a much coarser man than his friends are willing to acknowledge. His Seasons' are indeed full of elegant See p. 27, 28, of this volume. 2 [George Lewis Scott, Esq. F. R. S. an amiable and learned man, formerly Sub-preceptor to his present [late] Majesty, and afterwards appointed a Commissioner of Excise. He died in 1780. MALONE.] |
