of it may be very dubious. Two quartos and two guineas sound in an alarming manner. Í believe, in my present frame, I should accept even of 500l.; for I suspect that were I now to talk to Robinson, I should find him not disposed to give 10007. Did he absolutely offer it, or did he only express himself so as that you concluded he would give it? The pressing circumstance is, that I must lay down 10007. by the 1st of May, on account of the purchase of land, which my old family enthusiasm urged me to make. You, I doubt not, have full confidence in my honesty. May I then ask you if you could venture to join with me in a bond for that sum, as then I would take my chance, and, as Sir Joshua says, game with my book? Upon my honour, your telling me that you cannot comply with what I propose will not in the least surprise me, or make any manner of difference as to my opinion of your friendship. I mean to ask Sir Joshua if he will join; for indeed I should be vexed to sell my Magnum Opus for a great deal less than its intrinsic value. I meant to publish on Shrove Tuesday; but if I can get out within the month of March I shall be satisfied. I have now, I think, four or five sheets to print, which will make my second volume about 575 pages. But I shall have more cancels. That nervous mortal W. G. H. (1) is not satisfied with my report of some particulars which I wrote down from his own mouth, and is so much agitated, that Courtenay has persuaded me to allow a new edition of them by H. himself to be made at H.'s expense. Besides, it has occurred to me, that when I mention "a literary fraud," by Rolt the historian, in going to Dublin, and publishing Akenside's Pleasures of the Imagination, with his own name, I may not be able to authenticate it, as Johnson is dead, and he may have relations who may take it up as an offence, perhaps a libel. Courtenay suggests, that you may perhaps get intelligence whether it was true. The Bishop of Dromore can probably tell, as he knows a great deal about Rolt. In case of doubt, should I not cancel the leaf, and either omit the curious anecdote or

(1) [Single-speech Hamilton.]

give it as a story which Johnson laughingly told as having circulated ?"

"March 8. I have before me your volunteer letter of February 24th, and one of 5th current, which, if you have dated it right, has come with wonderful expedition. You may be perfectly sure that I have not the smallest fault to find with your disinclination to come again under any pecuniary engagements for others, after having suffered so much. Dilly proposes that he and Baldwin should each advance 2007. on the credit of my book; and if they do so, I shall manage well enough, for I now find that I can have 6007. in Scotland on the credit of my rents; and thus I shall get the 1000l. paid in May.

"You would observe some stupid lines on Mr. Burke in the Oracle' by Mr. Boswell! I instantly wrote to Mr. Burke, expressing my indignation at such impertinence, and had next morning a most obliging answer. Sir William Scott told me I could have no legal redress. So I went civilly to Bell, and he promised to mention handsomely that James Boswell, Esq. was not the author of the lines. The note, however, on the subject was a second impertinence. But I can do nothing. I wish Fox, in his bill upon libels, would make a heavy penalty the consequence of forging any person's name to any composition, which, in reality, such a trick amounts to.

"In the night between the last of February and first of this month, I had a sudden relief from the inexplicable disorder, which occasionally clouds my mind and makes me miserable, and it is amazing how well I have been since. Your friendly admonition as to excess in wine has been often too applicable; but upon this late occasion I erred on the other side. However, as I am now free from my restriction to Courtenay, I shall be much upon my guard; for, to tell the truth, I did go too deep the day before yesterday; having dined with Michael Angelo Taylor, and then supped at the London Tavern with the stewards of the Humane Society, and continued till I know not what hour in the morning. John Nichols was joyous to a pitch of bacchanalian vivacity. I am to dine with him next

Monday; an excellent city party, Alderman Curtis, Deputy Birch, &c. &c. I rated him gently on his saying so little of your Shakspeare. (') He is ready to receive more ample notice. You may depend on your having whatever reviews that mention you sent directly. Have I told you that Murphy has written An Essay on the Life and Writings of Dr. Johnson,' to be prefixed to the new edition of his works? He wrote it in a month, and has received 2007. for it. I am quite resolved now to keep the property of my Magnum Opus; and I flatter myself I shall not repent it.

66

My title, as we settled it, is The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., comprehending an account of his studies and various works, in chronological order, his conversations with many eminent persons, a series of his letters to celebrated men, and several original pieces of his composition; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century, during which he flourished.' It will be very kind if you will suggest what yet occurs. I hoped to have published to-day; but it will be about a month yet before I launch.”

"March 12. Being the depositary of your chance in the lottery, I am under the disagreeable necessity of communicating the bad news that it has been drawn a blank. I am very sorry, both on your account and that of your sisters, and my own; for had your share of good fortune been 31667. 13s. 4d., I should have hoped for a loan to accommodate me. As it is, I shall, as I wrote to you, be enabled to weather my difficulties for some time: but I am still in great anxiety about the sale of my book, I find so many people shake their heads at the two quartos and two guineas. Courtenay is clear that I should sound Robinson, and accept of a thousand guineas, if he will give that sum. Meantime, the title-page must be made as good as may be. It appears to me that mentioning his studies, works, conversations, and letters, is not sufficient; and I would suggest comprehending an account, in chronological order, of his studies, works, friendships, ac

(1) [In the Gentleman's Magazine.]

quaintance, and other particulars; his conversations with eminent men; a series of his letters to various persons; also several original pieces of his composition never before published. The whole, &c. You will, probably, be able to assist me in expressing my idea, and arranging the parts. In the advertisement I intend to mention the letter to Lord Chesterfield, and perhaps the interview with the King, and the names of the correspondents in alphabetical order. How should chronological order stand in the order of the members of my title? I had at first 'celebrated correspondents,' which I don't like. How would it do to say his conversations and epistolary correspondence with eminent (or celebrated) persons?' Shall it be different works,' and various particulars?' short, it is difficult to decide.

In

"Courtenay was with me this morning. What a mystery is his going on at all! Yet he looks well, talks well, dresses well, keeps his mare-in short is in all respects like a parliament man. Do you know that my bad spirits are returned upon me to a certain degree; and such is the sickly fondness for change of place, and imagination of relief, that I sometimes think you are happier by being in Dublin, than one is in this great metropolis, where hardly any man cares for another. I am persuaded I should relish your Irish dinners very much. I have at last got chambers in the Temple, in the very staircase where Johnson lived; and when my Magnum Opus is fairly launched, there shall I make a trial."

No. III.-BOSWELL IN CORSICA.

The

[The "Journal of a Tour in Corsica in 1765," the work by which Boswell was first made known to the world of letters, is now but seldom met with. high opinion which Johnson expressed of it has already been recorded (Life, vol. ii. p. 72.): "Your Journal," says he, "is in a very high degree curious and delightful; I know not whether I could name any narrative

L L

by which curiosity is better excited or better gratified;" and when we recollect, that at the time he wrote it Boswell was only in the twenty-fourth year of his age, it certainly appears very creditable to his literary attainments. We have, therefore, selected some of the most interesting and characteristic passages of this neglected performance- concluding with those which bear a direct reference to the author's early intercourse with Johnson.]

Boswell's Object in visiting Corsica.

Having resolved to pass some years abroad, for my instruction and entertainment, I conceived a design of visiting the island of Corsica. I wished for something more than just the common course of what is called the tour of Europe; and Corsica occurred to me as a place which nobody else had seen, and where I should find what was to be seen no where else,- a people actually fighting for liberty, and forming themselves from a poor, inconsiderable, oppressed nation, into a flourishing and independent state.

Barbary Corsairs.

The only danger I saw in going to Corsica was, that I might be taken by some of the Barbary corsairs, and have a trial of slavery among the Turks at Algiers. I spoke of it to Commodore Harrison, who commanded the British squadron in the Mediterranean, and was then lying with his ship, the Centurion, in the Bay of Leghorn. He assured me, that if the Turks did take me, they should not keep me long; but in order to prevent it, he was so good as to grant me a very ample and particular passport; and as it could be of no use if I did not meet the corsairs, he said very pleasantly when he gave it me, "I hope, Sir, it will be of no use to you."

Arrival in Corsica.

We landed safely in the harbour of Centuri. I was directed to the house of Signor Antonio Antonetti at Mor

siglia, about a mile up the country. The prospect of the