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Johnson had all along denied their authenticity, and, what was still more provoking to their admirers, maintained that they had no merit. The subject having been introduced by Dr. Fordyce, Dr. Blair, relying on the internal evidence of their antiquity, asked Dr. Johnson whether he thought any man of a modern age could have written such poems? Johnson replied, "Yes, Sir, many men, many women, and many children." Johnson, at this time, did not know that Dr. Blair had just published a Dissertation, not only defending their authenticity, but seriously ranking them with the poems of Homer and Virgil; and when he was afterwards informed of this circumstance, he expressed some displeasure at Dr. Fordyce's having suggested the topic, and said, "I am not sorry that they got thus much for their pains. Sir, it was like leading one to talk of a book, when the author is concealed behind the door."

He received me very courteously; but, it must be confessed, that his apartment, and furniture, and morning dress, were sufficiently uncouth. His brown suit of clothes looked very rusty; he had on a little old shrivelled unpowdered wig, which was too small for his head; his shirt-neck and knees of his breeches were loose; his black worsted stockings ill drawn up; and he had a pair of unbuckled shoes by way of slippers. But all these slovenly particularities were forgotten the moment that he began to talk. Some gentlemen, whom I do not recollect, were sitting with him; and when they went away, I also rose; but he said to me, "Nay, don't go."-" Sir," said I, " I am afraid that I intrude upon you. It is benevolent to allow me to sit and hear you." He seemed pleased with this compliment, which I sincerely paid him, and answered, " Sir, I am obliged to any man who visits me." - I have preserved the following short minute of what passed this day.

"Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation from the usual modes of the world. My poor friend Smart shewed the disturbance of his mind, by falling upon his knees and saying his prayers in the street, or in any other unusual place. Now although, rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than to pray as Smart did, I am afraid there are so many who do not pray, that their understanding is not called in question."

Concerning this unfortunate poet, Christopher Smart, who was confined in a mad-house (1), he had, at another time, the following conversation with Dr. Burney. - BURNEY. "How does poor Smart do, Sir? is he likely to recover?" Johnson. "It seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the disease; for he grows fat upon it." BURNEY. " Perhaps, Sir, that may be from want of exercise." JOHNSON. "No, Sir; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have, for he digs in the garden. Indeed, before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the ale-house; but he was carried back

(1) [Smart was born in 1722. He composed, while confined as a lunatic, his "Song to David," a poem which contains some truly sublime verses, and must always, therefore, be considered as one of the greatest curiosities in literature. Being debarred from the use of pen and paper, he indented it on the walls of his cell with a key. He died in 1770.J

again. I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to society. He insisted on people praying with him; and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as any one else. Another charge was, that he did not love clean linen: and I have no passion for it."

Johnson continued. "Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labour (1); but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it."

:

"The morality of an action depends on the motive from which we act. If I fling half a crown to a beggar with intention to break his head, and he picks it up and buys victuals with it, the physical effect is good; but, with respect to me, the action is very wrong. So, religious exercises, if not performed with an intention to please God, avail us nothing. As our Saviour says of those who perform them from other motives, Verily they have their reward.'

"The Christian religion has very strong evidences. It, indeed, appears in some degree strange to reason; but in History we have undoubted facts, against which, in reasoning à priori, we have more arguments than we have for them: but then, testimony has great weight, and casts the balance. I would recommend to every man whose faith is yet unsettled, Grotius, - Dr. Pearson, - and Dr. Clarke."

(1) See post, July 30. 1763, an opinion somewhat different. -C.

Talking of Garrick, he said, "He is the first man in the world for sprightly conversation.”

When I rose a second time, he again pressed me to stay, which I did.

He told me, that he generally went abroad at four in the afternoon, and seldom came home till two in the morning. I took the liberty to ask if he did not think it wrong to live thus, and not make more use of his great talents. He owned it was a bad habit. On reviewing, at the distance of many years, my journal of this period, I wonder how, at my first visit, I ventured to talk to him so freely, and that he bore it with so much indulgence.

Before we parted, he was so good as to promise to favour me with his company one evening at my lodgings; and, as I took my leave, shook me cordially by the hand. It is almost needless to add, that I felt no little elation at having now so happily established an acquaintance of which I had been so long ambitious.

My readers will, I trust, excuse me for being thus minutely circumstantial, when it is considered that the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson was to me a most valuable acquisition, and laid the foundation of whatever instruction and entertainment they may receive from my collections concerning the great subject of the work which they are now perusing.

I did not visit him again till Monday, June 13., at which time I recollect no part of his conversation, except that when I told him I had been to see Johnson ride upon three horses, he said, " Such a man, Sir, should be encouraged; for his performances

shew the extent of the human powers in one instance, and thus tend to raise our opinion of the faculties of man. He shews what may be attained by persevering application; so that every man may hope, that by giving as much application, although perhaps he may never ride three horses at a time, or dance upon a wire, yet he may be equally expert in whatever profession he has chosen to pursue." (1)

(1) "In the year 1762 one Johnson, an Irishman, exhibited many feats of activity in horsemanship, and was, it is believed, the first performer, in that time, in or about London. He was an active clever fellow in his way, and seemed to be patronised by Mr. Burke, then a student in the Temple." - Prior's Life of Burke, vol. i. p. 124. - С.- [In the Public Advertiser, July 25. 1758, this equestrian is thus noticed : - "The famous Thomas Johnson rode round the course on Durham Downs on two horses, with one foot on each saddle, and likewise rode an hundred yards, standing upon his head on the saddle." The following sketch of the latter period of his life, which is taken from Freeman's Dublin Journal, Dec. 13. 1785, does not confirm Dr. Johnson's dictum in the text :

"It is not unworthy of remark, that it falls to the share of those who attain celebrity at one time of life, to experience misery and neglect at another. The fate of Johnson, who introduced the largest breed of rams in Ireland, will furnish a singular instance of this. About twenty-six years ago, Johnson was servant to Mr. Bloomfield of Redwood, in the King's County, and, with him, was the first that ever attempted the dex. terity in riding, for which he was afterwards so famous, and which gave rise to those numerous troops who have since amused the public under the conduct of Astley, Hughes, Jones, and others. Having, by his feats of horsemanship, secured to himself the sum of 2600l. he returned to this kingdom, and commenced farmer, about eighteen years since. The thought about this time struck him of embarking in the smuggling of large rams into Ireland, to the great injury of our natural fleece, and, we may add, the deliciousness of our mutton. The enormous prices he brought at the fair of Ballinaslea for this breed, did not compensate him for some losses he experienced by his itch for smuggling in general; insomuch that, in the year 1779, he was constrained to give up house and residence at Riesk, and being well known to almost every person of consequence in this kingdom, he went about soliciting subscriptions for an 'Improved System of Farming,' which he promised to publish. But this temporary expedient proving unsuccessful, he was reduced to the extreme of poverty, and about nine months since died, for want of the common necessaries of life, in the solitary corner of a cellar in Arran Street He was a man of strong na. tural sense and intrepidity; but he became the martyr of his latter projects, without advantage to himself or his country."

A scarce engraving, representing him "standing on one, two, and three horses, in full speed," is in Mr. Upcott's collection.]

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