LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Frontispiece, Johnson at Lord Chesterfield's. Title-page, Portrait of Johnson, from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1756. PAGE Portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds, from a painting by himself Portrait of Michael Johnson, from an original drawing View of Lichfield, 1730, from an old print St. John's Gateway, from an etching by Carter Portrait of Rev. John Colson, from an original drawing. Portrait of Robert Dodsley, from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds Johnson, Richardson, and Hogarth 34 36 37 40 42 43 51 58 62 65 66 70 73 75 79 80 93 98 114 Portrait of Lord Chesterfield, from a painting by O. Humphry. Portrait of Lord Lovat, from a painting by W. Hogarth 127 Dr. Johnson's Residence in Gough Square, from an original sketch, 1851 131 132 Portrait of David Garrick, from a contemporary print The Green-room of Drury-lane Theatre, from a painting by Zoffany Portrait of Bennet Langton, from a drawing by A. Wivell Rewley Abbey, from a drawing in the Bodleian Library Residence of Mr. Wise, at Ellsfield, from an engraving by C. T. Smith Portrait of Samuel Richardson, from a drawing by Chamberlen 203 216 Dr. Johnson and Francis Barber, from a contemporary drawing by 217 Blackfriars Bridge, from a print 231 Portrait of Joseph Baretti, from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds 232 243 Boswell's first interview with Johnson Portrait of Thomas Sheridan, from a painting by Stewart 245 250 251 No. 8, Russell Street, Covent Garden, from a sketch Johnson reading the Vicar of Wakefield Scene of the Cock-lane Ghost's exploits, from a private etching Dr. Johnson's chair, from an original drawing by Miss Reynolds Greenwich Park, from an old print Mrs. Ann Williams, from an original drawing . Mr. Thrale's House, at Streatham, from an engraving by Ellis 300 Dr. Percy, from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds EVERY liberal motive that can actuate an Author in the dedication of his labours, concurs in directing me to you, as the person to whom the following Work should be inscribed. If there be a pleasure in celebrating the distinguished merit of a contemporary, mixed with a certain degree of vanity not altogether inexcusable, in appearing fully sensible of it, where can I find one, in complimenting whom I can with more general approbation gratify those feelings? Your excellence, not only in the Art over which you have long presided with unrivalled fame, but also in Philosophy and elegant Literature, is well known to the present, and will continue to be the admiration of future ages. Your equal and placid temper, your variety of conversation, your true politeness, by which you are so amiable in private society, and that enlarged hospitality which has long made your house a common centre of union for the great, the accomplished, the learned, and the ingenious; all these qualities I can, in perfect confidence of not being accused of flattery, ascribe to you. If a man may indulge an honest pride in having it known to the world that he has been thought worthy of particular attention by a person of the first eminence in the age in which he lived, whose company has been universally courted, I am justified in availing myself of the usual privilege of a Dedication, when I mention that there has been a long and uninterrupted friendship between us. If gratitude should be acknowledged for favours received, I have this opportunity, my dear Sir, most sincerely to thank you for the many happy hours which I owe to your kindness,-for the cordiality with which you have at all times been pleased to welcome me,-for the number of valuable acquaintances to whom you have introduced me,— for the noctes cœnæque Deum, which I have enjoyed under your roof. If a work should be inscribed to one who is master of the subject of it, and whose approbation, therefore, must ensure it credit and success, the Life of Dr. Johnson is, with the greatest propriety, dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was the intimate and beloved friend of that great man; the friend whom he declared to be "the most invulnerable man he knew; whom, if he should quarrel with him, he should find the most difficulty how to abuse." You, my dear Sir, studied him, and knew him well: you venerated and admired him. Yet, luminous as he was upon the whole, you perceived all the shades which mingled in the grand composition; all the little peculiarities and slight blemishes which marked the literary Colossus. Your very warm commendation of the specimen which I gave in my "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," of my being able to preserve his conversation in an authentic and lively manner, which opinion the Public has confirmed, was the best encouragement for me to persevere in my purpose of producing the whole of my stores. In one respect, this work will, in some passages, be different from the former. In my "Tour," I was almost unboundedly open in my communications, and from my eagerness to display the wonderful fertility and readiness of Johnson's wit, freely showed to the world its dexterity, even when I was myself the object of it. I trusted that I should be liberally understood, as knowing very well what I was about, and by no means as simply unconscious of the pointed effects of the satire. I own, indeed, that I was arrogant enough to suppose that the tenour of the rest of the book would sufficiently guard me against such a strange imputation. But it seems I judged too well of the world; for, though I could scarcely believe it, I have been undoubtedly informed, that many persons, especially in distant quarters, not penetrating enough into Johnson's character, so as to understand his mode of treating his friends, have arraigned my judgment, instead of seeing that I was sensible of all that they could observe. It is related of the great Dr. Clarke, that when in one of his leisure hours he was unbending himself with a few friends in the most playful and frolicsome manner, he observed Beau Nash approaching; upon which he suddenly stopped:-" My boys," said he, "let us be grave: here comes a fool." The world, my friend, I have found to be a great fool, as to that particular on which it has become necessary to speak very plainly. I have, therefore, in this work been more reserved; and though I tell nothing but the truth, I have still kept in my mind that the whole truth is not always to be exposed. This, however, I have managed so as to occasion no diminution of the pleasure which my book should afford; though malignity may sometimes be disappointed of its gratifications. I am, my dear Sir, Your much obliged friend, And faithful humble servant, JAMES BOSWell. London, April 20, 1791. |