ED. ED. [He addressed to her, in the Magazine for April, 1738', an epigram to Eliza*, both in Greek and Latin (p.210); and probably, also, the following Latin epigram in that for July (p. 372): "Elysios Popi dum ludit læta per hortos, This year's Magazine also contains the celebrated Latin epigram "To a Lady (Miss Maria Aston) who spoke in Defence of Liberty" (p. 211); and a Greek epigram to "Doctor Birch" (p. 654).] In 1739, besides the assistance which he gave to the Parliamentary Debates, his writings in the Gentleman's Magazine were, "The Life of Boerhaave✶" (p. 37), in which it is to be observed, that he discovers that love of chymistry which never forsook him; "An Appeal to the Publick in behalf of the Editor +" (p. 111); "An Address to the Reader †" (p. 223); "English verses to Eliza *;" [and probably the following Latin Epigram to Dr. Birch* (p. 2): 3 [It seems extraordinary that Mr. Boswell, with all his research and accuracy, should have stated that the epigrams to Eliza and Dr. Birch are to be found in the volume for 1739, instead of that for 1738, and should have omitted the acknowledged epigram on Maria, and not even noticed the epigram on Eliza gathering laurels in Pope's garden, which there is every reason for supposing to be his. Johnson might even have accompanied his young friend to visit Pope's villa, and been a witness to the incident.-ED.] 2 [I have permitted this statement to remain in the text, though I can find in the Magazine for 1739 but one copy of English verses to Eliza. They are in December, and signed Amasius, which is the signature of some other pieces now known to have been written by Collins; but as Boswell erroneously attributed the Greek and Latin verses to Eliza to this year, the English verses may, like the others, have belonged to 1738; though even in that volume I can find nothing addressed to Eliza in English which could be Johnson's, except a translation of his own (as I conceive) Latin epigram on the gathering Pope's laurels. It is not easy to account for the inaccuracy with which Mr. Boswell confounds these two years.-ED.] 3 [My chief reasons for supposing this Latin epigram to be Johnson's are, that it is a version of his own acknowledged Greek epigram which appeared in the preceding Magazine, and that he had followed his Greek epigram on Eliza with a Latin paraphrase in the same style as this.-ED.] "IN BIRCHIUM. Arte novâ rarâque fide perscripserat ausus Et placido tandem hæc edidit ore, Dea: It has been erroneously supposed, that an Essay published in that Magazine this year, entitled "The Apotheosis of Milton," was written by Johnson; and on that supposition it has been improperly inserted in the edition of his works by the booksellers, after his decease. Were there no positive testimony as to this point, the style of the performance, and the name of Shakspeare not being mentioned in an Essay professedly reviewing the principal English poets, would ascertain it not to be the production of Johnson. But there is here no occasion to resort to internal evidence; for my Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Dr. Douglas) has assured me that it was written by Guthrie. He also published, separately, "A Complete Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage, from the malicious and scandalous Aspersions of Mr. Brooke, Authour of Gustavus Vasa*;" being an ironical attack upon them for their suppression of that tragedy. [This Hawk. interposition of legal authority was looked upon by Mr. Brooke's friends, in which number were included all the Jacobites in the kingdom, as an infraction of a natural right, and as affecting the cause of liberty. To express their resentment of this injury, they advised him to send it to the press', and by a subscription to the publication, of near a thousand persons, encouraged others to the like attempts. Upon occasion [Mr. Brooke appears to have circulated MS. copies of Gustavus Vasa before it was completed.-I have one of these presentation copies.-D'ISRAELI.] p. 76. p. 79. Hawk. of this publication, Johnson was employed by one Corbet, a bookseller of small note, to take up the cause of this injured authour, and he did it in this pamphlet. In the course of this mock vindication of power, Johnson has taken a wide scope, and adopted all the vulgar topicks of complaint.] He also published "Marmor Norfolciense; or an Essay on an ancient prophetical Inscription, in monkish Rhyme, lately discovered near Lynne, in Norfolk, by Probus Britannicus." In this latter performance, he, in a feigned inscription, supposed to have been found in Norfolk, the county of Sir Robert Walpole, then the obnoxious prime minister of this country, inveighs against the Brunswick succession, and the measures of government consequent upon it. Το this supposed prophecy he added a Commentary, making each expression apply to the times, with warm Anti-Hanoverian zeal. This anonymous pamphlet, I believe, did not make so much noise as was expected, and, therefore, had not a very extensive circulation. Sir John Hawkins relates that "warrants were issued, and messengers employed to apprehend the authour; who though he had forborne to subscribe his name to the pamphlet, the vigilance of those in pursuit of him had discovered;" and we are informed that he lay concealed in Lambeth-marsh till the scent after him grew cold. This, however, is altogether without foundation, for Mr. Steele, one of the secretaries of the treasury, who, amidst a variety of important business, politely obliged me with his attention to my inquiry, informed me that "he directed every possible search to be made in the records of the treasury and secretary of state's office, but could find no trace whatever of any warrant having been issued to apprehend the authour of this pamphlet.' "Marmor Norfolciense" became exceedingly scarce, so that I for many years endeavoured in vain to procure a copy of it. At last I was indebted to the malice of one of Johnson's numerous petty adversaries, who, in 1775, published a new edition of it, "with Notes and a Dedication to Samuel Johnson, LL.D. by Tribunus ;" in which some puny scribbler invidiously attempted to found upon it a charge of inconsistency against its authour, because he had accepted of a pension from his present majesty, and had written in support of the measures of government. As a mortification to such impotent malice, of which there are so many instances towards men of eminence, I am happy to relate, that this telum imbelle did not reach its exalted object till about a year after it thus appeared, when I mentioned it to him, supposing that he knew of the re-publication. To my surprise he had not yet heard of it. He requested me to go directly and get it for him, which I did. He looked at it and laughed, and seemed to be much diverted with the feeble efforts of his unknown adversary, who, I hope, is alive to read this account. "Now (said he) here is somebody who thinks he has vexed me sadly: yet if it had not been for you, you rogue, I should probably never have seen it." [These two satirical pamphlets were, Sir J. Hawkins Hawk. thinks, in some degree prompted by the principle P.84,85. which Johnson frequently declared to be the only true genuine motive to writing, namely, pecuniary profit. his principle was not only avowed by Johnson, but seems to have been wrought by him into a habit. He was never greedy of money, but without money could not be stimulated to write. Yet was he not so indifferent to the subjects that he was requested to write on, as at any time to abandon VOL. I. I Hawk. p 80,81. either his religious or political principles. He would no more have put his name to an Arian or Socinian tract than to a defence of Atheism. At the time when "Faction Detected" came out, a pamphlet of which the late Lord Egmont is now generally understood to have been the authour, Osborne, the bookseller, held out to him a strong temptation to answer it, which he refused, being convinced, as he assured Sir J. Hawkins, that the charge contained in it was made good, and that the argument grounded thereon was unanswerable. The truth is, that Johnson's political prejudices were a mist that the eye of his judgement could not penetrate in all the measures of Walpole's government he could see nothing right; nor could he be convinced, in his invectives against a standing army, as the Jacobites affected to call it, that the peasantry of a country was not an adequate defence against an invasion of it by an armed force. He almost asserted in terms, that the succession to the crown had been illegally interrupted, and that from whig-politicks none of the benefits of government could be expected. From hence it appears, and to his honour be it said, that his principles co-operated with his necessities, and that prostitution of his talents could not, in justice, be imputed to him.] As Mr. Pope's note concerning Johnson, alluded to in a former page, refers both to his "London," and his "Marmor Norfolciense," I have deferred inserting it till now. I am indebted for it to Dr. Percy, the bishop of Dromore, who permitted me to copy it from the original in his possession. It was presented to his lordship by Sir Joshua Reynolds, to whom it was given by the son of Mr. Richardson the painter, the person to whom it is addressed. I have transcribed |