To Mr. Henry Reeve I am under great obligations. I enjoyed the great pleasure of inspecting and consulting the Records of The Club in his own library, which afforded me the opportunity of confirming and elucidating several passages in Boswell's text. I also owe to Mr. Reeve a suggestion which many, I feel sure, will rejoice that I followed. By his advice the "Diary of Dr. Thomas Campbell "-a few passages of no importance whatever being omitted-has been reproduced in the volume of "Johnsoniana." This diary is perhaps the most curious addition made to Johnsonian literature since the publication of Mrs. Piozzi's "Anecdotes." Of the numerous friends who have so readily communicated information to me, let me name, especially, my kinsman, Dr. Cotterill, the Bishop of Edinburgh; Mr. H. G. Reid of Her Majesty's Stationery Office; Mr. R. F. Sketchley of the South Kensington Museum, who, as Curator of the Forster Library, has been of signal service to me, always rendered with the utmost readiness and intelligence; Colonel F. R. C. Grant, who lent me the manuscript catalogue of his unique collection of the literature of the age of Johnson; the Rev. John G. Lonsdale, Canon of Lichfield Cathedral, for his courteous answers to my inquiries regarding Johnson's life in connection with the Cathedral; Mr. Charles Simpson, Town Clerk of the city of Lichfield, a gentleman who knew those who had seen and spoken with Johnson, and from whom I learnt the traditions concerning him which still linger there; Mr. J. T. Clark, the Keeper of the Books of the Advocates, for his learned communications to me regarding the books printed and published in Scotland before the Union, and other points of literary history; Mr. David Douglas, for his curious information regarding Hume and Boswell's house in James' Court; Mr. J. W. M. Gibbs, for his intelligent and persistent researches in the British Museum on many matters connected with Johnsonian literature; the Rev. Canon Jelf of Rochester, and his brother, Mr. Arthur Jelf, for the information I obtained from them in regard to Archdeacon Cambridge's portrait of Johnson; Mr. J. T. Gilbert for his assistance in the O'Connor question; Messrs. Christie, Manson, and Wood, for their prompt and obliging information regarding the portraits of Johnson; my neighbour and friend the Rev. J. R. Pilling, Rector of Wells, for many ingenious verifications out of the stores of his capacious and accurate memory. It would not be less than great ingratitude, if I omitted to thank Mr. Alfred Smith, Assistant in the University Library, Cambridge, for his untiring, most obliging attention to the many demands I have made, for several years, on his time and patience. Holkham Vicarage, ALEXANDER NAPIER. Nov. 16, 1883. 18 Sept. 1709. TABLE OF CONTENTS. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. Introductory remarks, on the arduous character of the Traditional story of Johnson's infancy Early instance of his power of memory Story of his early precocity refuted . 1-8 Admitted his obligations to Hunter. Hector's recollections of his early days Johnson did not enter into boyish sports. Æt. 15. His love of romances noted by Dr. Percy Remains there rather more than a year 1728. Enters a Commoner of Pembroke College, Oxford . Translates Pope's Messiah into Latin verse, Christmas, Prostrated by an attack of hypochondria during the Christmas vacation of 1729 His exertions to overcome it. Boswell's reflections on this malady PAGE Johnson's religious history at this early period His erratic course of reading at Oxford 39-41 41-42 ference to Pembroke. Æt. 22. Loved and caressed at college. Recommends Taylor to enter at Christ Church in pre- Disdains the eleemosynary pair of shoes. Compelled to leave College in the autumn of 1731, returns to his native city in poverty. 43-44 Æt. 26. Makes the acquaintance of Mrs. Porter Johnson's marriage, and account of Mrs. Johnson. 1737. His friendship with Hon. Henry Hervey Letter to Mr. Cave proposing to translate Le Courayer's |