The fatal Effects of Extravagance and Diffipation.

of their burden, and the distance alone hinders Alexis from hearing or feeing what they do. Meanwhile Candor appears to open the coffin: he lays down upon it, he rifes again, a fire is kindied, the flame blazes, rifes, and on a fudden becomes extinct; the tree is glanced, the leaves tremble, and the birds fitting on its branches flee with difmal fhrieks: the flambeaux are diftinguifhed all vanithes.

Is it an illufion? is it a phantom? the moon rendered ob'cure by the pale light of the torches fpread

479

his defpair, and makes him with for
the approach of day, in order to
take a refolution: he will not fuffer
himself to be flaughtered thus pati-
ently; he will fell his life as dear as
he can. Tremble, affaffins, you
fhall not give him the nortal blow
without having flood mot vigorous
in his own defence against Candor,
Germain, and-Clara! what is
Clara guilty too?

(To be continued)

alone her myftic beams; the birds The fatal Effels of Extravagance

return to their wonted tree, Candor and Germain appear again, they cross the garden, return to fet by the coffin in the fecret cave, the. door is fhut, the rattling of keys, and the hollow found of bolts are heard again..

and Diffipation.

(From Zimmermann's Solitude.)

Τ'

was

HE hon. Mr. D-, the eldeft fon of lord Mthirty-five years of age when he put Let now the reader place himfelf a period to his exiftence, by means in the fituation of my Alexis. He perfectly correfpondent to the prinknows his fearful, fufpicious, and ciples on which he had lived. He mistrusting temper! Let him have had efpoufed a rich heirefs, the an idea of his embarrafliment, his daughter in-law of general C--. apprehenfions, his fhuddering! How Nature had endowed him with exagitated his mind! That coffin, that traordinary talents; and if he had flame! what can have been that employed them to nobler purposes, ceremony he could not diftinguish his death must have made the deepit is perhaps the body of fome frayed eft impreffion on every bofom. Untraveller, which they burnt, after happily, however, a moit infatuated having fript it. He doubts no love of diffipation deftroyed all the more: tomorrow the fame fare powers of his mind, and fome of the more excellent qualities of his heart, awaits him but where are his riches; why fhould they kill him? His houfes, carriages, horfes, and his fpoil is not brilliant enough: liveries, furpaffed in magnificence no matter, he has all to fear. Per- and elegance every thing that is haps Candor, deceived by the world, fumptuous in the metropolis of has fworn to facrifice all fuch as will England, The income he enjoyed was plendid, but not being quite fall in his hands, to gratify his vengeance. Alexis is perhaps to aug- fufficient to defray all his expences, he felt himself under the ncceffity of ment the number of his victims: all borrowing, and he obtained a loan confirm him in that idea. Alas! what has he done, that fate fhould of one hundred and twenty thousand have brought him to this deteflable pounds. A large portion of the money was immediately employed den? He regrets not life, it is a to fuccour thofe of his friends who burden to him! but to fall by to bafe a treachery, after having trufted appeared to be diftreffed, for his to the good faith and humanity of his fentiments were terder and compafbutchers. This, this alone, caufesfionate; but his fenfibility to the

want

wants of others at length obliged him to open his eyes to his own. The fituation in which he found his affairs led him to despair: he retired to a brothel, fent for four women of the town, and paffed four hours with infinite gaiety and fpirits in their company. On the near ap

and diffipated man!-How different from the life and death of the innocent and viruous !

Gleanings from BOSWELL'S LIFE of
Dr. JOHNSON.

Ming account of the converfa
tion which paffed between his pre-
fent majefty and Dr. Johnfon, in
the library at Buckingham-house,
1767.

R. Bofwell gives the follow

proach of midnight, he reque few they would retire; and in a few moments afterwards, drawing fram his pocket a loaded piftol, which he had carried about with him all the afternoon, blew out his brains. He paffed the evening with these women In February, 1767, there hapin the fame manner as he had been pened one of the most remarkable ufed to pafs many others with dif-incidents of Dr. Johnson's life, ferent women of the fame defcription, without infifting on favours which they most willingly would have granted. The common converfation of fuch interviews, or at moft the liberty of a falute, was all he defired or expected from them in return for his money. The gratitude he felt for the temporary oblivion which thefe intercourfes occafioned ripened in his bofom into all the feelings of the warmest friendship.

which gratified his monarchical enthufiafm, and which he loved to relate with all its circumftances, when requested by his friends. This was his being honoured by a private converfation with his majesty in the library at the queen's houfe. He had frequently visited thofe fplendid rooms and noble collection of books, which he ufed to fay was more numerous and curious than he fuppofed any perfon could have made in the time which the king had em. A celebrated actress on the Lon-ployed. Mr. Barnard, the librarian, don theatre, whole converfations had already deprived him of confiderable fums of money, requested of him only three days before his death, to lend her five-and-twenty guineas, he returned an anfwer, that he had not at that time more than eight or ten guineas at his command, and these he fent her; but he immediately borrowed the remainder, and gave her the fum fhe required.

This unhappy young man, fhortly before the fatal catastrophe, had written to his father, and disclosed the real state of his affairs; and the night, the very night, on which he terminated his exiftence, his affectionate parent, the good lord Marrived in London for the purpose of paying all the debts of his fon. Thus lived and died this deftitute

took care that he should have every accommodation that could contribute to his eafe and convenience, while indulging his literary taste in that place; fo that he had here a very agreeable refource at leifure hours.

His majefty having been informed of his occafional visits, was pleafed to fignify a defire that he fhould be told when Dr. Johnson came next to the library. Accordingly, the next time that Johnson did come, as foon as he was fairly engaged with a book, on which, while he fat by the fire, he feemed quite intent, Mr. Barnard ftole round to the apartment where the king was, and in obedience to his majefty's com mands mentioned that Dr. Johnfon was then in the library. His majefty faid he was at leifure, and would go to him; upon which Mr.

Bar

Gleanings from Bofwell's Life of Dr. Johnson.

ed his majefty through a fuire of rooms, till they came to a private door into the library, of which his majefty had the key. Being entered, Mr. Barnard stepped forward hattily to Dr. Johnfon, who was ftill in a profound study, and whispered him, Sir here is the king"-Johnfon ftarted up, and food fill. His majefly approached him, and at Once was courteously easy.

481

rely on his own flores as an original

Barnard took one of the candles that ftood on the king's table, and light-writer, and to continue his labours, then faid, "I do not think you borrow much from any body." Johnfon faid he had done his part as a writer. "I should have thought fo 100 (faid the king) if you had not written fo well written fo well" Johnfon obferved to me upon this, that no man could have pid a handfomer compliment, and it was fit for a king to pay. It was decifive. When afked by another friend, at fir Jofeph Reynolds's, whether he made any rep y to this high compliment, he answered "No, fir. When the king had faid it, it was to be fo. It was not for me to bandy civ.lities with my fovereign." Perhaps no man who had

have fhewed a more dignified fenfe of true politenefs than Johnfon did in this inftance.

His majesty began by observing, that he understood he came fometimes to the library; and then mentioning his having heard that the doctor had been lately at Oxford, afked him if he was not fond of go. ing thither. To which Johnfon an-fpent his whole life in courts, could fwered that he was indeed fond of going to Oxford fometimes, but was likewife glad to come back again. 'The king then asked him what they His majesty having obferved to were doing at Oxford. Johnfon an- him, that he fuppofed he must have fwered that he could not much com-read a great deal; Johnfon anfwermend their diligence, but that ined that he thought more than he fome refpects they were mended, read; that he had read a great deal for they had put their prefs under in the early part of his life, but better regulations, and were at that having fallen into ill health, he had time printing Polybius. He was not been able to read much, comthen asked whether they had better pared with others: for infance, he libraries at Oxford or Cambridge.faid he had not read much compared He answered, he believed the Bod- with Dr. Warburton. Upon which leian was larger than any they had at the king faid, that he heard Dr. WarCambridge at the fame time add burton was a man of fuch general ing, "I hope, whether we have knowledge, that you could fcarce more books or not than they have talk with him on any fubject on at Cambridge, we fhall make as which he was not qualified to fpeak, good ufe of them as they do." Be-and that his learning refembled ing asked whether All-fouls or Chrift-Garrick's acting, in its univerfality. church library was the largest, he answered "All-fouls library is the largest we have, except the Bodleian."-" Aye," faid the king, that is the public library."

His majesty enquired if he was then writing any thing. He anfwered he was not, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and must now read to acquire more knowledge. The king, as it fhould feem with a view to urge him to VOL. XXII.

His majefty then talked of the controverfy between Warburton and Lowth, which he feemed to have read, and afked Johnfon what he thought of it. Johnfon anfwered, "Warburton has moft general, most fcholaftic learning; Lowth is the more correct scholar. I do not know which of them calls names best." The king was pleased to say he was of the fame opinion; adding, "You do not then think, Dr. Johnson, 30

that

friends, when relating what had paffed) began to confider that I was depreciating this man in the estimation of his fovereign, and thought

that there was much argument in the cafe?" Johnfon faid he did not think there was. "Why truly," faid the king, "when once it comes to calling names, argument is pret-it was time for me to fay fomething ty well at an end."

that might be more favourable." He added, therefore, that Dr. Hill was, notwithstanding a very curi. ous obferver, and if he would have been contented to tell the world no more than he knew, he might have been a very confiderable man, and needed not to have recourse to fuch mean expedients to raise his reputation.

His majesty then afked him what he thought of lord Littleton's hiftory, which was then just published. Johnfon faid he thought his ftyle pretty good, but that he had blam ed Henry II. rather too much. "Why, "faid the king, "they feldom do thofe things by halves." "No, fir, (anfwered Johnfon) not to kings." But fearing to be The king then talked of literary mifunderflood, he proceeded to ex-journals, mentioned particularly plain himself; and immediately fubjoined, "That for those who spoke worfe of kings than they deferved, he could find no excufe, but that he could more eafily conceive how fome might fpeak better of them than they deserved, without any ill intention; for, as kings had much in their power to give, thofe who were favoured by them would frequently from gratitude, exaggerate their praifes; and as this proceeded from a good motive, it was certainly excufab e as far as error could be excufable."

The king then afked him what he thought of Dr. Hill. Johnfon anfwered, that he was an ingenious man, but had no veracity; and immediately mentioned as an inftance of it, an affertion of that writer, that he had feen objects magnified to a much greater degree by ufing three or four microscopes at a time, than by ufing one. "Now," added Johnfon, "every one acquainted with microscopes, knows that the more of them he looks through, the lefs the object will appear.""Why," replied the king, "this is not only telling an untruth, but telling it clumsily; for if that be the cafe, every one who can look through a microfcope will be able to detect him."

"I now faid Johnfon to his

the Journal des Sçavans, and afked
Johnfon if it was well done. John-
fon faid it was formerly very well
done, and gave fome account who
began it, and carried it on for fome
years, enlarging at the fame time
on the nature and use of such works.
The king asked him if it was well
done now? Johnfon anfwered he
had no reason to think it was. The
king then asked him if there were
any other literary journals published
in this kingdom, except the Monthly
and Critical Reviews; and on be
ing answered there were no other,
his majesty asked which of them was
beft. Johnfon anfwered, that the
Monthly Review was done with
most care, and the Critical upon the
beft principles; adding that the
authors of the Monthly Review
were enemies to the church.
the king faid he was forry to hear.

This

The converfation next turned on the philofophical tranfactions, when Johnson obferved that they had now a better method of arranging their materials than formerly. "Aye," faid the king, “they are obliged to Dr. Johnfon for that;" for his majefty had heard and remembered the circumftances, which Johnson him. felf had forgot.

His majefty expreffed a defire to have the literary biography of this country ably executed, and pro

pofed

On Happiness in the Marriage State.

pofed to Dr. Johnfon to undertake it. Johnfon fignified his readiness to comply with his majesty's wishes. During the whole of this interview, Johnfon talked to his majesty with profound respect, but fil in his firm manly manner, with a fonorous voice, and never in that fubdued tone which is commonly ufed at the levee and at the draw. ing-room. After the king with drew, Johnfon fhewed himself highly pleafed with his majesty's converfation and gracious behaviour. He faid to Mr. Barnard, "Sir, they may talk of the king as they will, but he is the fineft gentleman I have ever seen." And he afterward obferved to Mr. Langton, "Sir, his manners are thofe of a fine gentleman, as we may fuppofe Lewis the Fourteenth, or Charles the Second."

At fir Joshua Reynolds's, where a circle of Johnfon's friends was collected round him to hear his account of this memorable converfation, Dr. Jofeph Warton in his frank and lively manner, was very active in preffing him to mention the particulars. Come now, fir, this is an interefting matter; do favour us with it." Johnfon, with great good humour, complied.

He told them, I found his majefty wished I fhould talk, and I made it my bufinefs to talk. I find it does a man good to be talked to

483

my felf; from Mr. Langton, who was prefent when he gave an account of it to Dr. Jofeph Warton, and feveral other friends, at fir Jofhua Reynolds's; from Mr. Barnard; from the copy of a letter written by Mr. Strahan, the printer, to bishop Warburton; and from a minute, the original of which is among the papers of the late fir James Caldwell, and a copy of which was most obligingly obtained for me from his fon, fir John Caldwell, by fir Francis Lumm. Toall thefe gentlemen I beg leave to make my grateful acknowledgements, and particularly to fir Francis Lumm, who was pleased to take a great deal of trouble, and even had the minute laid before the king by lord Carmarthen, now duke of Leeds, one of his majefty's principal fecretaries of ftate, who announced to fir Francis the royal pleasure concerning it by a letter, in thefe words: "I have the king's commands to affure you, how fenfible his majefty is of your attention in communicating the minute of the converfation previous to its publication. As there appears no objection to your complying with Mr. Bofwell's wishes on the fubject, you are at full liberty to deliver it to that gentleman, to make fuch use of it in his life of Dr. Johnson, as he may think proper.'

GAZINE.

by his fovereign. In the first place, To the Editor of the LADY'S MAa man cannot be in a paffion.". Here fome question interrupted him, which is to be regretted, as he certainly would have pointed out and

illuftrated many circumftances of advantage, from being in a fituation, where the powers of the mind are at once excited to vigorous exertion, and tempered by reverential awe.

Mr. Bofwell fays in a note: the particulars of this converfation I have been at great pains to collect, with the utmost authenticity, from Dr. Johnson's own detail to

SIR,

any of your fair readers will condefcend to give me their impartial opinion relative to what unanimity of fentiment is neceffary to establish permanent felicity in the marriage ftate, they will much oblige me. Hope, fir, you will infert this, as my request originates from an apprehenfion, a lady, an acquaintance of mine, is about to enter the hymenial band, with a 3Q2

man,