The proprietors of the Universal History wished him to take any part in that voluminous work. But he declined their offer 2.]. This gentleman, whom he familiarly call with him, nor flatly contradict him; for he | could repel any attack, having always about him the weapons of ridicule, of wit, and of argument. It must be owned, that some who had the desire to be admitted to himed Tom Tyers, was the son of Mr. Jonathan thought him too dogmatical, and as exacting too much homage to his opinions, and came no more. For they said, while he presided in his library, surrounded by his admirers, he would, "like Cato, give his little senate laws." He had great knowledge in the science of human nature, and of the fashions and customs of life, and knew the world well. He had often in his mouth this line of Pope, "The proper study of mankind is man. He was desirous of surveying life in all its modes and forms, and in all climates. He once offered to attend his friend Vansittart 1 to India, who was invited there to make a fortune; but it did not take place. He talked much of travelling into Poland, to observe the life of the Palatines, the account of which struck his curiosity very much. His benevolence to mankind was known to all who knew him. Though so declared a friend to the church of England and even a friend to the convocation, it assuredly was not in his wish to persecute for speculative notions. He used to say, he had no quarrel with any order of men, unless they disbelieved in revelation and a future state, He would indeed have sided with Sacheverell against Daniel Burgess, if he thought the church was in danger. His hand and his heart were always open to charity. The objects under his own roof were only a few of the subjects for relief. He was ever at the head of subscription in cases of distress. His guinea, as he said of another man of a bountiful disposition, was always ready. He wrote an exhortation to publick bounty. He drew up a paper to recommend the French prisoners, in the last war but one, to the English benevolence; which was of service. He implored the hand of benevo lence for others, even when he almost seemed a proper object of it himself. It may be inserted here, that Johnson, soon after his coming to London, had thought of writing a history of the revival of learning. The booksellers had other service to offer him. But he never undertook it. [This proposition of an adventure to India is nowhere else, that the editor has seen, alluded to. Dr. Vansittart, of Oxford, was a great friend of Johnson's, and it is possible that he may have been invited by his younger brother, Mr. Henry Vansittart, when Governor of Bengal, to join him in India, and Dr. Vansittart might perhaps have had some idea of including Johnson in the arrangement. It seems doubtful whether Johnson was personally acquainted with Mr. Henry Vansittart.-ED.] Tyers, the founder of that excellent place of publick amusement, Vauxhall Gardens, which must ever be an estate to the proprietor, as it is peculiarly adapted to the taste of the English nation; there being a mixture of curious show, gay exhibition, musick, vocal and instrumental, not too refined for the general ear, for all which only a shilling is paid 3; and, though last, not least, good eating and drinking for those who choose to purchase that regale. Mr. Thomas Tyers was bred to the law; but having a handsome fortune, vivacity of temper, and eccentricity of mind, he could not confine himself to the regularity of practice. He therefore ran about the world with a pleasant carelessness, amusing every body by his desultory conversation. He abounded in anecdote, but was not sufficiently attentive to accuracy 4. I therefore cannot 2 [Although much of the foregoing extract is founded on Mr. Tyers's later observations, yet, made at the commencement of their acquaintance, as it refers more particularly to the impression when there is little said by Mr. Boswell of Dr. Johnson's personal history, it is thought right to insert the whole in this place. Here, too, is added Mr. Boswell's account of Mr. Tyers, which, in the former editions, is found sub anno 1778.ED.] 3 In summer, 1792, additional and more expensive decorations having been introduced, the price of admission was raised to two shillings. I cannot approve of this. The company may be more select; but a number of the honest commonalty are, I fear, excluded from sharing in eleAn attempt to gant and innocent entertainment. abolish the one-shilling gallery at the playhouse has been very properly counteracted.-BosWELL. The admission has been since raised to four shillings, without improving, it is said, either the class of company, or the profits of the proprietors. ED.] 4 [Mr. Boswell, who was justly proud of the happy diligence with which he made daily notes of Dr. Johnson's conversation, is too apt to blame every other reporter of anecdotes for inaccu racy." We have seen, and shall have future occasions to observe, that his own written records are sometimes liable to the same imputation, and of course still more so must be the relations of those who not only made no notes, but who, at the time, never comtemplated writing. Mr. Tyers very modestly calls his pamphlet a sketch, and he certainly writes, as Mr. Boswell says, in a careless and desultory style; but there seems, on examination, no reason to doubt the accuracy of his facts; indeed, all the other biographers (not excepting Mr. Boswell himself) have either borrowed from Tyers, or have told the same stories in the same way as he has done, and thus vouched for his general accuracy.-ED.] venture to avail myself much of a biographical sketch of Johnson which he published, being one among the various persons ambitious of appending their names to that of my illustrious friend. That sketch is, however, an entertaining little collection of fragments. Those which he published of Pope and Addison are of higher merit; but his fame must chiefly rest upon his "Political Conferences," in which he introduces several eminent persons delivering their sentiments in the way of dialogue, and discovers a considerable share of learning, various knowledge, and discernment of character. This much may I be allowed to say of a man who was exceedingly obliging to me, and who lived with Dr. Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous acquaintance. Chronicle still subsists, and from what I observed, when I was abroad, has a more extensive circulation upon the continent than any of the English newspapers. It was constantly read by Johnson himself; and it is but just to observe, that it has all along been distinguished for good sense, accuracy, moderation, and delicacy. Another instance of the same nature has been communicated 2 to me by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Campbell 3, who has done himself considerable credit by his own writings. "Sitting with Dr. Johnson one morning alone, he asked me if I had known Dr. Madden, who was authour of the premiumscheme 4 in Ireland. On my answering in the affirmative, and also that I had for some years lived in his neighbourhood, &c. he begged of me that when I returned to Ireland, I would endeavour to procure for him a poem of Dr. Madden's called Boulter's Monument 5. The reason (said he) why I wish for it is this: when Dr. Madden came to London, he submitted that work to my castigation; and I remember I blotted a great many lines, and might have blotted many more without making the poem worse 6. However, the doctor was very 2 [Hawkins had told the same story on Johnson's written authority, but Boswell is always reluctant to have any obligations to Hawkins.ED.] 3 [See post, 6th April, 1775.-ED.] This year Mr. William Payne, brother of the respectable bookseller of that name, published "An Introduction to the Game of Draughts," to which Johnson contributed a Dedication to the Earl of Rochford *, | and a Preface*, both of which are admirably adapted to the treatise to which they are prefixed. Johnson, I believe, did not play at draughts after leaving college, by which he suffered; for it would have afforded him an innocent soothing relief from the melancholy which distressed him so often. I have heard him regret that he had not learned to play at cards; and the game at draughts we know is peculiarly calculated to fix the attention without straining it. There is 4 In the college of Dublin, four quarterly examcomposure and gravity in draughts which inations of the students are held in each year, in various prescribed branches of literature and sciinsensibly, tranquillizes the mind; and, accordingly, the Dutch are fond of it, as they ence; and premiums, consisting of books imare of smoking, of the sedative influence of pressed with the college arms, are judged by exwhich, though he himself never smoked, he to those who have most distinguished themselves aminers (composed generally of the junior fellows), had a high opinion 1. [Sir J. Hawk-in the several classes, after a very rigid trial, Hawk. ins heard him say that insanity had which lasts two days: this regulation, which has grown more frequent since smoking subsisted about seventy years, has been attended had gone out of fashion.] Besides, there with the most beneficial effects. Dr. Samuel is in draughts some exercise of the faculties; Madden was the first proposer in that university. and, accordingly, Johnson wishing to digni- They were instituted about the year 1734. He fy the subject in his Dedication with what was also one of the founders of the Dublin Socieis most estimable in it, observes, "Triflers ty for the encouragement of arts and agriculture. may find or make anything a trifle: but In addition to the premiums which were and are since it is the great characteristick of a wise still annually given by that society for this purman to see events in their causes, to obviate pose, Dr. Madden gave others from his own fund. consequences, and ascertain contingencies, Hence he was usually called "Premium Madyour lordship will think nothing a trifle by which the mind is inured to caution, foresight, and circumspection." p. 312. As one of the little occasional advantages which he did not disdain to take by his pen, as a man whose profession was literature, he this year accepted of a guinea from Mr. Robert Dodsley, for writing the introduction to "The London Chronicle," an evening newspaper; and even in so slight a performance exhibited peculiar talents. This den."-MALONE. and primate of Ireland. He died in Sept. 27, 5 Dr. Hugh Boulter, archbishop of Armagh, time, one of the lords justices of that kingdom. 1742, at which time he was, for the thirteenth Johnson speaks of him in high terms of commen dation, in his Life of Ambrose Philips.—Bos WELL. Hawk. p. 391, 392. thankful, and very generous, for he gave me ten guineas, which was to me at that time a great sum.' [Such casual emoluments as these Johnson frequently derived from his profession of an authour. For the dedication to his present majesty, of Adams's book on the use of the globes, he was, as himself informed me, gratified with a present of a very curious meteorological instrument, of a new and ingenious construction. About this time, as it is supposed, he composed pulpit discourses for sundry clergymen, and for these, he made no scruple of confessing, he was paid: his price, I am informed, was a moderate one, a guinea; and such was his notion of justice, that having been paid, he considered them so absolutely the property of the purchaser, as to renounce all claim to them. He reckoned that he had written about forty sermons; but, except as to some, knew not in what hands they were "I have," said he, " been paid for them, and have no right to inquire about them!."] [About the year 1756, time had Hawk. produced a change in the situation p. 360, 361. of many of Johnson's friends, who were used to meet him in Ivy-lane. Death had taken from them M‘Ghie; Barker went to settle as a practising physician at Trowbridge; Dyer went abroad; Hawkesworth was busied in forming new connexions; and Sir J. Hawkins had lately made one that removed from him all temptations to pass his evenings from home. The consequence was, that the club at the King'shead broke up, and he who had first formed it into a society was left with fewer around him than were able to support it. In consequence of this application], he this year resumed his scheme of giving an edition of Shakspeare with notes. He is sued Proposals of considerable length 2, in which he showed that he perfectly well knew what a variety of research such an undertaking required; but his indolence prevented him from pursuing it with that diligence which alone can collect those scattered facts, that genius, however acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot discover by its own force. It is remarkable, that this time his fancied activity was for the moment so vigorous, that he promised his work should be published before Christmas, 1757. Yet nine years elapsed before it saw the light. His throes in bringing it forth had been severe and remittent; and at last we may almost conclude that the Cæsarean operation was performed by the knife of Churchill, whose upbraiding satire, I dare say, made Johnson's friend urge him to despatch. Hawk. p. 362. A stranger to Johnson's character and temper would have thought, that the study of an authour, whose skill in the science of human life was so deep, and whose perfections were so many and various as to be above the reach of all praise, must have been the most pleasing employment that his imagination could suggest, but it was not so: in a visit that he All this while, the booksellers, who, by one morning made to Sir J. Hawkins, the his own confession, were his best friends, latter congratulated him on his being now had their eyes upon Johnson, and reflected engaged in a work that suited his genius,and with some concern on what seemed to them that, requiring none of that severe applicaa misapplication of his talents. The fur- tion which his Dictionary had condemned nishing magazines, reviews, and even news-him to, would, no doubt, be executed con papers, with literary intelligence, and the authours of books, who could not write them for themselves, with dedications and prefaces, they looked on as employments beneath him, who had attained to such eminence as a writer; they, therefore, in the year 1756, found out for him such a one as seemed to afford a prospect both of amusement and profit: this was an edition of Shakspeare's dramatic works, which, by a concurrence of circumstances, was now become necessary, to answer the increasing demand of the publick for the writings of that authour. 1 [This practice is of very doubtful propriety. In the case of an elective chapel, it might, as the Bishop of Ferns observes to me, amount to an absolute fraud, as a person might be chosen for the merits of a sermon not written by himself. See ante, p. 109, note.-ED.] amore.- They have been reprinted by Mr. Malone in the preface to his edition of Shakspeare.-Bos WELL. his months so long, that they feared a mental lethargy had seized him, out of which he would never recover. In this, however, they were happily deceived, for, after two years' inactivity, they find him roused to action, and engaged-not in the prosecution of the work, for the completion whereof he stood doubly bound, but-in a new one, the furnishing a series of periodical essays, entitled, and it may be thought not improperly, "The Idler," as his mouve to the employment was aversion to a labour he had undertaken, though in the execution, it must be owned, it merited a better name.] About this period he was offered a living of considerable value in Lincolnshire, if he were inclined to enter into holy orders. It was a rectory in the gift of Mr. Langton, the father of his much-valued friend. But he did not accept of it; partly I believe from a conscientious motive, being persuaded that his temper and habits rendered him unfit for that assiduous and familiar instruction of the vulgar and ignorant, which he held to be an essential duty in a clergyman; and partly because his love of a London life was so strong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, particularly if residing in the country. Whoever would wish to see his thoughts upon that subject displayed in their full force, may peruse the Adventurer, Number 126. In 1757 it does not appear that he published any thing, except some of those articles in the Literary Magazine, which have been mentioned. That magazine, after Johnson ceased to write in it, gradually declined, though the popular epithet of Antigallican was added to it; and in July, 1758, it expired. He probably prepared a part of his Shakspeare this year, and he dictated a speech on the subject of an address to the throne, after the expedition to Rochefort, which was delivered by one of his friends, I know not in what publick meeting. It is printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1785 (p. 764), as his, and bears sufficient marks of authenticity. By the favour of Mr. Joseph Cooper Walker, of the treasury, Dublin, I have obtained a copy of the following letter from Johnson to the venerable authour of "Dissertations on the History of Ireland." TO CHARLES O'CONNOR, ESQ.' London, 9 April, 1757. "SIR,I have lately, by the favour of Mr. Faulkner, seen your account of Ireland, Of this gentleman, who died at his seat at Ballinegare, in the county of Roscommon, in Ireland, July 1, 1791, in his eighty-second year, some account may be found in the Gentleman's Magazine of that date. Of the work here alluded to by Dr. Johnson-" Dissertations on the History of Ireland"-a second and much im ana cannot forbear to solicit a prosecution of your design, Sir William Temple complains that Ireland is less known than any other country, as to its ancient state. The natives have had little leisure, and little encouragement for inquiry; and strangers, not knowing the language, have had no ability. "I have long wished that the Irish literature were cultivated2. Ireland is known by tradition to have been once the seat of piety and learning; and surely it would be very acceptable to all those who are curious either in the original of nations, or the affinities of languages, to be further informed of the revolution of a people so ancient, and once so illustrious. "What relation there is between the Welsh and Irish language, or between the language of Ireland and that of Biscay, deserves inquiry. Of these provincial and unextended tongues, it seldom happens that more than one are understood by any one man; and, therefore, it seldom happens that a fair comparison can be made. I hope you will continue to cultivate this kind of learning, which has too long lain neglected, and which, if it be suffered to remain in oblivion for another century, may, perhaps, never be retrieved. As I wish well to all useful undertakings, I would not forbear to let you know how much you deserve, in my opinion, from all lovers of study, and how much pleasure your work has given to, sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON.' 2 The celebrated oratour, Mr. Flood, has shown himself to be of Dr. Johnson's opinion; having by his will bequeathed his estate, after the death of his wife Lady Frances, to the University of Dublin; desiring that immediately after the said estate shall come into their possession, they shall appoint two professors, one for the study of the native Erse or Irish language, and the other for the study of Irish antiquities and Irish history, and for the study of any other European language illustrative of, or auxiliary to, the study of Irish antiquities or Irish history: and that they shall give yearly two liberal premiums for two compositions, one in verse, and the other in prose, in the Irish language.-BoSWELL. Since the above was written, Mr. Flood's will has been set aside, after a trial at bar, in the court of exchequer in Ireland.-MALONE. 3 Now, or late, vice-chancellor.-WARTON. "I am printing my new edition of Shak speare. "I long to see you all, but cannot conveniently come yet. You might write to me now and then, if you were good for any thing. But honores mutant mores. Professors forget their friends. I shall certainly complain to Miss Jones 2. I am, your, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." "Please to make my compliments to Mr. Wise." COLL. OXFORD 3. 28 June, 1758. their lives. Let me know what you expected, and what you have found. At least record it to yourself before custom has reconciled you to the scenes before you, and the disparity of your discoveries to your hopes has vanished from your mind. It is a rule never to be forgotten, that whatever strikes strongly should be described while the first impression remains fresh upon the mind. "I love, dear sir, to think on you, and therefore should willingly write more to TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. OF TRIN. you, but that the post will not now give me leave to do more than send my compliments to Mr. Warton, and tell you that I am, dear sir, most affectionately, your very humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "DEAR SIR,-Though I might have expected to hear from you, upon your entrance into a new state of life at a new place, yet recollecting (not without some degree of shame) that I owe you a letter upon an old account, I think it my part to write first. This, indeed, I do not only from complaisance but from interest; for living on in the old way, I am very glad of a correspondent so capable as yourself, to diversify the hours. You have, at present, too many novelties about you to need any help from me to drive along your time. "I know not any thing more pleasant, or more instructive, than to compare experience with expectation, or to register from time to time the difference between idea and reality. It is by this kind of observation that we grow daily less liable to be disappointed. You, who are very capable of anticipating futurity, and raising phantoms before your own eyes, must often have imagined to yourself an academical life, and have conceived what would be the manners, the views and the conversation, of men devoted to letters; how they would choose their companions, how they would direct their studies, and how they would regulate 1 Mr. Warton was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford in the preceding year.-WARTON, 2 Miss Jones lived at Oxford, and was often of our parties. She was a very ingenious poetess, and published a volume of poems; and, on the whole, was a most sensible, agreeable, and amiaShe was sister to the Reverend River Jones, chanter of Christ-church cathedral at Oxford, and Johnson used to call her the chantress. I have heard him often address her in this passage from "Il Penseroso:" ble woman. Mr. Burney having enclosed to him an extract from the review of his Dictionary in the Bibliotheque des Savans 4, and a list of subscribers to his Skakspeare, which Mr. Burney had procured in Norfolk, he wrote the following answer: TO MR. BURNEY, IN LYNNE, NORFOLK, "Gough-square, 24 Dec. 1757. "SIR, That I may show myself sensible of your favours, and not commit the same fault a second time, I make haste to answer the letter which I received this morning. The truth is, the other likevese was received, and I wrote an answer; but being desirous to transmit you some proposals and receipts, I waited till I could find a convenient conveyance, and day was passed after day, till other things drove it from my thoughts; yet not so, but that I remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary. Your praise was welcome, not only because I believe it was sincere, but because praise has been very scarce. A man of your candour will be suracquaintances there were only two, who, prised when I tell you that among all my upon the publication of my book, did not endeavour to depress me with threats of censure from the publick, or with objections learned from those who had learned them from my own preface. Yours is the only letter of good-will that I have received; though, indeed, I am promised something of that sort from Sweden. "How my new edition of Shakspeare will be received I know not; the subscription has not been very successful. I shall publish about March. "If you can direct me how to send proposals, I should wish that they were in such hands. "I remember, sir, in some of the first letters with which you favoured me, you mentioned your lady. May I inquire after 4 Tom. III. p. 482. |