OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D.

COMPREHENDING

AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STUDIES AND NUMEROUS WORKS,

IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER;

A SERIES OF HIS EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE AND
CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY EMINENT PERSONS; AND VARIOUS
ORIGINAL PIECES OF HIS COMPOSITION,

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED:

THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN IN GREAT
BRITAIN, FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY DURING WHICH
HE FLOURISHED.

ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS PORTRAITS, VIEWS, AND
CHARACTERISTIC DESIGNS, ENGRAVED FROM AUTHENTIC SOURCES.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.-VOL. III.

LONDON:

OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED LIBRARY,

198 STRAND

Contents

CONTENTS OF VOLUME III.

List of Illustrations

CHAPTER I.-1776.

Johnson returns to London-Dr. Butter-Mr. Wedderburne-Mr. Macklin-

Johnson's Opinions on Marriage-Death of Dr. James-Johnson's Remedy

for Melancholy-Baretti-Lobo's "Abyssinia"-Captain Cook-Omai-The

Mitre Tavern-Lord Charles Hay-Public Schools and Universities-Mr.

Maclaurin-Law of Libel-The Roman Catholic Religion-"The all-knowing"

Mr. Jackson-Anecdote of Mr. Fowke-Jack Ellis, the Money Scrivener-

Johnson's Ideas of Gaming-On Conjugal Infidelity-Mr. Macbean-The

Usury Laws-Dr. Cheyne-Cibber's "Lives of the Poets—Literary

Reviewers-Smollett-"The Spectator"-Dr. Barry-Garrick-Genius of

Thomson-Dispute between Goldsmith and Dodsley-Mr. Cradock-Dr.

Harwood-Supper at the Crown and Anchor-Wine-drinking-Johnson

visits Bath

PAGE

iii

vii

CHAPTER II.-1776.

Boswell visits Bath-Addison and Eustace Budgell-Dr. Blair-Johnson's Con-

versation and Opinions on various Subjects-Excursion to Bristol-Chatterton's

Forgery-Return to London-Madame Sevigné-Sharpe's Letters on Italy-

The Infidel-Johnson's Opinions on Luxury-On Conversation-On the

Bible-On the Liberty of the 'Pulpit-Meeting between Johnson and the

celebrated John Wilkes-Their after-dinner Conversation- Garrick-

M'Swinney-Colley Cibber-Horace's "Difficile est propriè communia dicere"

-Elkanah Settle, the City Poet"-Johnson's Ideas of Scotland-Mr.

Wilkes and the Attorney-General-Mrs. Knowles, the Quaker Lady-

Johnson expresses his Delight with Mr. Wilkes' Company-The fascinating

but infamous Margaret Caroline Rudd

CHAPTER III.-1776-1777.

Boswell's Departure for Scotland-Correspondence respecting Dr. Goldsmith's

Epitaph-A literary Round Robin-General Correspondence between

Johnson, Boswell, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Levett, Steevens, and Sir A. Dick-

Count Manucci-Mr. Paterson-Johnson's Suasorium-Granger's Bio-

graphical Dictionary-Mr. Langton-Discordances of the Boswell Family-

Dr. Blair's Sermons-Prayer for Easter-day-Steevens-Dr. Memis's Law-

suit-Sir Allan Maclean's Suit-Sir A. Dick's Rural Pursuits-Shaw's

Erse Grammar-Johnson's remarks on the Erse Dialect-Johnson's

ment to write "The Lives of the English Poets"

engage-

CHAPTER IV.-1777.

Dr. Johnson's agreement to write "The Lives of the British Poets"-Dilly

the Bookseller-Charles O'Connor-Bishop Pearce-Prologue to Kelly's

Comedy-Savage's Tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury"-Sheridan- Harris

-Thomson-Anderson-Dr. Dodd-Boswell's Letter from the Tomb of

Melancthon-Seward-De Groot-Dr. Watts-Dr. Vyse-Sir Allan Mac-

lean's Law-suit-Johnson's Visit to Ashbourne- Death of Harry Jackson-

Sir Philip Sidney-Lord Hailes-Sale of Macquarry's Estates, Ulva and

Staffa-Projected trip to the Baltic-Folly of Melancholy

CHAPTER V.-1777.

Boswell's Arrival at Ashbourne-Grief for the Loss of Friends-"Journey to the

Western Islands"-Ashbourne School-Poor Curates-Johnson's zealous

Interference and Correspondence on behalf of Dr. Dodd-Petition of the

City of London in his Favour-Dodd's Petition to the King-Mr. Jenkinson

-Mr. Fitzherbert-Dr. Taylor-Hamilton's Poems-The Rev. Mr. Seward

-Johnson's Opinions of Hume-Gen. Paoli's Sentiments on the Fear of

Death-Dr. Butter-Duties of a Biographer-The Stewart Family-Coxeter's

Collections of the Poets-Johnson's Criticisms on Lyric Poetry

-

CHAPTER VI.-1777.

Keddlestone, the Seat of Lord Scarsdale-Dr. Manningham-Bennet Langton-

Arrival at Derby-Dr. Butter-Dr. Nichols-Anecdote of Dr. Dodd-Blair's

Sermons-Early Rising and its Difficulties-Sleep-Johnson's Opinion of

Water-drinking-Rutty's "Spiritual Diary"-Autobiographers-Blair's Lec-

tures-Johnson's style of Writing-" Biographia Britannica"-Melancholy

and Madness-London Society-Boswell's Ancestor, Lord Douglas-The

Legal Profession-Ashbourne Church-Intimacy between Johnson and Dr.

Taylor-Johnson's Conversational Powers-Mrs. Macaulay-Duke of

Devonshire-Burke's Letter on America-Ilam-Differences among Chris-

tians-Mungo Campbell-Johnson and the Dead Cat-Lord Rochester's

Poems-Prior-Hypochondriac Reading-Homer and Virgil-Lord Bacon

-Self-vindication

CHAPTER VII.-1777.

Johnson's Remarks on Philology-Grainger's “Ode on Solitude"-Effects of

Music-Johnson's Opinions on Happiness-Conference in Dr. Taylor's

Garden-Slave Trade-American Independence-Corruption of the British

Parliament-Boswell's Departure for Scotland-Edensor Inn, and ludicrous

Character given of Johnson-Correspondence between Boswell and Johnson

-The Negro Cause decided--Mr. Florence Wilson-Mr. Saunders Welch-

Advice to Travellers-Parnell, the Poet -"Taxation no Tyranny "

Rumoured Death of Johnson

CHAPTER VIII.-1778.

Boswell's Arrival in London-Mrs. Desmoulins-Johnson's Benevolent Liberality

-Mr. Howard, of Lichfield-Tom Davies-Johnson's Advice on Law

Pleading-Characteristic trait of Johnson-Thomas à Kempis-Lord Trimles-

town-Sir Robert Sibbald-Johnson's Advice on Strict Adherence to Truth-

His Opinion on Ghosts-John Wesley-Henry Constantine Jennings and

140