A saying behaviour. One evening about this time, when his of Gold- Lordship did me the honour to sup at my lodgings smith with Dr. Robertson and several other men of

literary distinction, he regretted that Johnson had not been educated with more refinement, and lived more in polished society. "No, no, my Lord, (said Signor Baretti,) do with him what you would, he would always have been a bear." "True, (answered the Earl, with a smile,) but he would have been a dancing bear."thro

To obviate all the reflections which have gone round the world to Johnson's prejudice, by applying to him the epithet of a bear, let me impress upon my readers a just and happy saying of my. friend Goldsmith, who knew him well: "Johnson, to be sure, has a roughness in his manner : but no man alive has a more tender heart. He has nothing of the bear but his skin."

In 1769, so far as I can discover, the publick was favoured with nothing of Johnson's composition, either for himself or any of his friends. His "Meditations" too strongly prove that he suffered much both in body and mind; yet was he perpetually striving against evil, and nobly endeavouring to advance his intellectual and devotional improvement. Every generous and grateful heart must feel for the distresses of so eminent a benefactor to mankind; and now that his unhappiness is certainly known, must respect that dignity of character which prevented him from complaining.

His Majesty having the preceding year instituted the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Johnson had now the honour of being appointed Professor

in Ancient Literature. In the course of the year The he wrote some letters to Mrs. Thrale, passed some Royale part of the summer at Oxford and at Lichfield, and Academy when at Oxford he wrote the following letter:

"TO THE REVEREND MR. THOMAS WARTON.

"DEAR SIR, down as oved m bodstr

66

MANY years ago, when I used to read in the library of your College, I promised to recompence the college for that permission, by adding to their books a Baskerville's Virgil. I have now sent it, and desire you to reposit it on the shelves in my name.2

"If you will be pleased to let me know when you have an hour of leisure, I will drink tea with

In which place he has been succeeded by Bennet Langton, Esq. When that truly religious gentleman was elected to this honorary Professorship, at the same time that Edward Gibbon, Esq. noted for introducing a kind of sneering infidelity into his Historical Writings, was elected Professor in Ancient History, in the room of Dr. Goldsmith, I observed that it brought to my mind, "Wicked Will Whiston and good Mr. Ditton." I am now also of that admirable institution as Secretary for Foreign Correspondence, by the favour of the Academicians, and the approbation of the Sovereign.itrov

"It has this inscription in a blank-leaf: Hunc librum D. D. Samuel Johnson, eo quod hic loci studiis interdum vacaret.' Of this library, which is an old Gothic room, he was very fond. On my observing to him that some of the modern libraries of the University were more commodious and pleasant for study, as being more spacious and airy, he replied, 'Sir, if a man has a mind to prance, he must study at Christ-Church and All-Souls.'"

VOL. II.

R

of Arts

The you.

I am engaged for the afternoon, to-morrow Stratford and on Friday: all my mornings are my own.1

ya Jubilee

"I am, &c.

od stop SAM. JOHNSON."

I came to London in the autumn, and having informed him that I was going to be married in a few months, I wished to have as much of his conversation as I could before engaging in a state of life which would probably keep me more in Scotland, and prevent me seeing him so often as when I was a single man; but I found he was at Brighthelmstone with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I was very sorry that I had not his company with me at the Jubilee, in honour of Shakspeare, at Stratford-upon-Avon, the great poet's native town. Johnson's connection both with Shakspeare and Garrick founded a double claim to his presence; and it would have been highly gratifying to Mr. Garrick. Upon this occasion I particularly lamented that he had not that warmth of friendship for his brilliant pupil, which we may suppose would have had a benignant effect on both. When almost every man of eminence in the literary world was happy to partake in this festival of genius, the absence of Johnson could not but be wondered at and regretted. The only trace of him there, was in the whimsical advertisement

of a haberdasher, who sold Shaksperian ribbands of

various dyes; and, by way of illustrating their appropriation to the bard, introduced a line from the

1 "During this visit he seldom or never dined out. He appeared to be deeply engaged in some literary work. Miss Williams was now with him at Oxford."

celebrated Prologue at the opening of Drury-lane Literary theatre: novin sved adgún dalį me

"Each change of many-colour'd life he drew." How do LE JOU

fame -100 lo

From Brighthelmstone Dr. Johnson wrote me the following letter, which they who may think that I ought to have suppressed, must have less ardent feelings than I have always avowed.bis qui mont bswood `auoiton roswied banat od equorla "TO JAMES BOST BOSWELL, ESQ.

DEAR SIR, 1980o bas

"WHY do you charge me with unkindness? I have omitted nothing that could do you good, or give you pleasure, unless it be that I have forborne to tell you my opinion of your "Account

in 1768, I

11 In the Preface to my Account of Corsica, published
yov dalw I en
publishes a book affecting not to be an
authour, and professing an indifference for literary fame,
may possibly impose upon many people such an idea of
his consequence as he wishes may be received. For my
part I should be proud to be known as an authour, and
I have an ardent ambition for literary fame; for, of all
possessions I should imagine literary fame to be the most
valuable. A man who has been able to furnish a book,
which has been approved by the world, has established
himself as
as a respectable character in distant society, with-
out any danger of having that character lessened by the
observation of his weaknesses. To preserve an uniform
dignity among those who see us every day, is hardly pos-
sible; and to aim at it, must put us under the fetters of
perpetual restraint. The authour of an approved book
may allow his natural disposition an easy play, and yet
indulge the pride of superiour genius, when he considers
that by those who know him only as an authour, he
never ceases to be respected. Such an authour, when in

"Hes express myself:

sica"

Boswell's of Corsica." I believe my opinion, if you think "Account well of my judgement, might have given you pleaof Cor- sure; but when it is considered how much vanity is excited by praise, I am not sure that it would have done you good. Your History is like other histories, but your Journal is in a very high degree curious and delightful. There is between the history and the journal that difference which there will always be found between notions borrowed from without, and notions generated within. Your history was copied from books; your journal rose out of your own experience and observation. You express images which operated strongly upon yourself, and you have impressed them with great force upon your readers. I know not whether I could name any narrative by which curiosity is better excited, or better gratified.

"I am glad that you are going to be married; and as I wish you well in things of less importance, wish you well with proportionate ardour in this crisis of your life. What I can contribute to your happiness, I should be very unwilling to withhold; for I have always loved and valued you, and shall love you and value you still more, as you become more regular and useful effects which a happy marriage will hardly fail to produce.

"I do not find that I am likely to come back very soon from this place. I shall, perhaps, stay a fortnight longer; and a fortnight is a long time to a

his hours of gloom and discontent, may have the consolation to think, that his writings are, at that very time, giving pleasure to numbers; and such an authour may cherish the hope of being remembered after death, which has been a great object to the noblest minds in all ages."