Life of Samuel Johnson, Vol. II — 1772 part 1

In 1772 he was altogether quiescent as an authour[424]; but it will be found from the various evidences which I shall bring together that his mind was acute, lively, and vigorous.

'To SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

'DEAR SIR, 'Be pleased to send to Mr. Banks, whose place of residence I do not know, this note, which I have sent open, that, if you please, you may read it.

'When you send it, do not use your own seal.

'I am, Sir, 'Your most humble servant, 'SAM.

JOHNSON.'

'Feb.

27, 1772.' 'To JOSEPH BANKS, ESQ.

'Perpetua ambitAc his terrAi prA|mia lactis Hac habet altrici Capra secunda Jovis[425].'

'Sir, 'I return thanks to you and to Dr. Solander for the pleasure which I received in yesterday's conversation.

I could not recollect a motto for your Goat, but have given her one.

You, Sir, may perhaps have an epick poem from some happier pen than, Sir, 'Your most humble servant, 'SAM.

JOHNSON.'

'Johnson's-court, Fleet-street, February 27, 1772.' 'To DR. JOHNSON.

'MY DEAR SIR, 'It is hard that I cannot prevail on you to write to me oftener.

But I am convinced that it is in vain to expect from you a private correspondence with any regularity.

I must, therefore, look upon you as a fountain of wisdom, from whence few rills are communicated to a distance, and which must be approached at its source, to partake fully of its virtues.

* * * * * 'I am coming to London soon, and am to appear in an appeal from the Court of Session in the House of Lords.

A schoolmaster in Scotland was, by a court of inferiour jurisdiction, deprived of his office, for being somewhat severe in the chastisement of his scholars[426].

The Court of Session, considering it to be dangerous to the interest of learning and education, to lessen the dignity of teachers, and make them afraid of too indulgent parents, instigated by the complaints of their children, restored him.

His enemies have appealed to the House of Lords, though the salary is only twenty pounds a year.

I was Counsel for him here.

I

hope there will be little fear of a reversal; but I must beg to have your aid in my plan of supporting the decree.

It is a general question, and not a point of particular law.

* * * * * 'I am, &c. , 'JAMES BOSWELL.'

'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

'DEAR SIR, 'That you are coming so soon to town I am very glad; and still more glad that you are coming as an advocate.

I think nothing more likely to make your life pass happily away, than that consciousness of your own value, which eminence in your profession will certainly confer.

If I can give you any collateral help, I hope you do not suspect that it will be wanting.

My kindness for you has neither the merit of singular virtue, nor the reproach of singular prejudice.

Whether to love you be right or wrong, I have many on my side: Mrs. Thrale loves you, and Mrs. Williams loves you, and what would have inclined me to love you, if I had been neutral before, you are a great favourite of Dr. Beattie.

'Of Dr. Beattie I should have thought much, but that his lady puts him out of my head; she is a very lovely woman.

'The ejection which you come hither to oppose, appears very cruel, unreasonable, and oppressive.

I should think there could not be much doubt of your success.

'My health grows better, yet I am not fully recovered.

I believe it is held, that men do not recover very fast after threescore.

I hope yet to see Beattie's College: and have not given up the western voyage.

But however all this may be or not, let us try to make each other happy when we meet, and not refer our pleasure to distant times or distant places.

'How comes it that you tell me nothing of your lady?

I hope to see her some time, and till then shall be glad to hear of her.

'I am, dear Sir, &c. 'SAM.

JOHNSON.'

'March 15, 1772.' 'To BENNET LANGTON, ESQ.

, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE.

'DEAR SIR, 'I congratulate you and Lady Rothes[427] on your little man, and hope you will all be many years happy together.

'Poor Miss Langton can have little part in the joy of her family.

She this day called her aunt Langton to receive the sacrament with her; and made me talk yesterday on such subjects as suit her condition.

It will probably be her _viaticum_.

I surely need not mention again that she wishes to see her mother.

I am, Sir, 'Your most humble servant, 'SAM.

JOHNSON.'

'March 14, 1772.' On the 21st of March, I was happy to find myself again in my friend's study, and was glad to see my old acquaintance, Mr. Francis Barber, who was now returned home[428].

Dr. Johnson received me with a hearty welcome;

saying, 'I am glad you are come, and glad you are come upon such an errand:' (alluding to the cause of the schoolmaster.

) BOSWELL.

'I hope, Sir, he will be in no danger.

It is a very delicate matter to interfere between a master and his scholars: nor do I see how you can fix the degree of severity that a master may use.'

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, till you can fix the degree of obstinacy and negligence of the scholars, you cannot fix the degree of severity of the master.

Severity must be continued until obstinacy be subdued, and negligence be cured.'

He mentioned the severity of Hunter, his own Master[429].

'Sir, (said I,) Hunter is a Scotch name: so it should seem this schoolmaster who beat you so severely was a Scotchman.

I can now account for your prejudice against the Scotch.'

JOHNSON.

'Sir, he was not Scotch; and abating his brutality, he was a very good master[430].'

We talked of his two political pamphlets, _The False Alarm_, and _Thoughts concerning Falkland's Islands_.

JOHNSON.

'Well, Sir, which of them did you think the best?'

BOSWELL.

'I liked the second best.'

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, I liked the first best; and Beattie liked the first best.

Sir, there is a subtlety of disquisition in the first, that is worth all the fire of the second.'

BOSWELL.

'Pray, Sir, is it true that Lord North paid you a visit, and that you got two hundred a year in addition to your pension?'

JOHNSON.

'No, Sir.

Except what I had from the bookseller, I did not get a farthing by them[431].

And, between you and me, I believe Lord North is no friend to me.'

BOSWELL.

'How so, Sir?'

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, you cannot account for the fancies of men.

Well, how does Lord Elibank?

and how does Lord Monboddo?'

BOSWELL.

'Very well, Sir.

Lord Monboddo still maintains the superiority of the savage life[432].'

JOHNSON.

'What strange narrowness of mind now is that, to think the things we have not known, are better than the things which we have known.'

BOSWELL.

'Why, Sir, that is a common prejudice.'

JOHNSON.

'Yes, Sir, but a common prejudice should not be found in one whose trade it is to rectify errour.'

A gentleman having come in who was to go as a mate in the ship along with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, Dr. Johnson asked what were the names of the ships destined for the expedition.

The gentleman answered, they were once to be called the Drake and the Ralegh, but now they were to be called the Resolution and the Adventure[433].

JOHNSON.

'Much better; for had the Ralegh[434] returned without going round the world, it would have been ridiculous.

To give them the names of the Drake and the Ralegh was laying a trap for satire.'

BOSWELL.

'Had not you some desire to go upon this expedition, Sir?'

JOHNSON.

'Why yes, but I soon laid it aside.

Sir, there is very little of intellectual, in the course.

Besides, I see but at a small distance.

So it was not worth my while to go to see birds fly, which I should not have seen fly; and fishes swim, which I should not have seen swim.'

The gentleman being gone, and Dr. Johnson having left the room for some time, a debate arose between the Reverend Mr. Stockdale and Mrs. Desmoulins, whether Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander were entitled to any share of glory from their expedition.

When Dr. Johnson returned to us, I told him the subject of their dispute.

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, it was properly for botany that they went out: I believe they thought only of culling of simples[435].'

I thanked him for showing civilities to Beattie.

'Sir, (said he,) I should thank _you_.

We all love Beattie.

Mrs. Thrale says, if ever she has another husband, she'll have Beattie.

He sunk upon us[436] that he was married; else we should have shewn his lady more civilities.

She is a very fine woman.

But how can you shew civilities to a non-entity?

I did not think he had been married.

Nay, I did not think about it one way or other; but he did not tell us of his lady till late.'

He then spoke of St. Kilda[437], the most remote of the Hebrides.

I told him, I thought of buying it.

JOHNSON.

'Pray do, Sir.

We will go and pass a winter amid the blasts there.

We shall have fine fish, and we will take some dried tongues with us, and some books.

We will have a strong built vessel, and some Orkney men to navigate her.

We must build a tolerable house: but we may carry with us a wooden house ready made, and requiring nothing but to be put up.

Consider, Sir, by buying St. Kilda, you may keep the people from falling into worse hands.

We must give them a clergyman, and he shall be one of Beattie's choosing.

He shall be educated at Marischal College.

I'll be your Lord Chancellor, or what you please.'

BOSWELL.

'Are you serious, Sir, in advising me to buy St. Kilda?

for if you should advise me to go to Japan, I believe I should do it.'

JOHNSON.

'Why yes, Sir, I am serious.'

BOSWELL.

'Why then, I'll see what can be done.'

I gave him an account of the two parties in the Church of Scotland, those for supporting the rights of patrons, independent of the people, and those against it.

JOHNSON.

'It should be settled one way or other.

I

cannot wish well to a popular election of the clergy, when I consider that it occasions such animosities, such unworthy courting of the people, such slanders between the contending parties, and other disadvantages.

It is enough to allow the people to remonstrate against the nomination of a minister for solid reasons.'

(I suppose he meant heresy or immorality.

) He was engaged to dine abroad, and asked me to return to him in the evening, at nine, which I accordingly did.

We drank tea with Mrs. Williams, who told us a story of second sight[438], which happened in Wales where she was born.

He listened to it very attentively, and said he should be glad to have some instances of that faculty well authenticated.

His elevated wish for more and more evidence for spirit[439], in opposition to the groveling belief of materialism, led him to a love of such mysterious disquisitions.

He again[440] justly observed, that we could have no certainty of the truth of supernatural appearances, unless something was told us which we could not know by ordinary means, or something done which could not be done but by supernatural power; that Pharaoh in reason and justice required such evidence from Moses; nay, that our Saviour said, 'If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin[441].'

He had said in the morning, that Macaulay's _History of St. Kilda_, was very well written, except some foppery about liberty and slavery.

I

mentioned to him that Macaulay told me, he was advised to leave out of his book the wonderful story that upon the approach of a stranger all the inhabitants catch cold[442]; but that it had been so well authenticated, he determined to retain it.

JOHNSON.

'Sir, to leave things out of a book, merely because people tell you they will not be believed, is meanness.

Macaulay acted with more magnanimity.'

We talked of the Roman Catholick religion, and how little difference there was in essential matters between ours and it.

JOHNSON.

'True, Sir;

all denominations of Christians have really little difference in point of doctrine, though they may differ widely in external forms.

There is a prodigious difference between the external form of one of your Presbyterian churches in Scotland, and a church in Italy; yet the doctrine taught is essentially the same[443].'

I mentioned the petition to Parliament for removing the subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles[444].

JOHNSON.

'It was soon thrown out.

Sir, they talk of not making boys at the University subscribe to what they do not understand[445]; but they ought to consider, that our Universities were founded to bring up members for the Church of England, and we must not supply our enemies with arms from our arsenal.

No, Sir, the meaning of subscribing is, not that they fully understand all the articles, but that they will adhere to the Church of England[446].

Now take it in this way, and suppose that they should only subscribe their adherence to the Church of England, there would be still the same difficulty; for still the young men would be subscribing to what they do not understand.

For if you should ask them, what do you mean by the Church of England?

Do you know in what it differs from the Presbyterian Church?

from the Romish Church?

from the Greek Church?

from the Coptick Church?

they could not tell you.

So, Sir, it comes to the same thing.'

BOSWELL.

'But, would it not be sufficient to subscribe the Bible[447]?'

JOHNSON.

'Why no, Sir; for all sects will subscribe the Bible; nay, the Mahometans will subscribe the Bible; for the Mahometans acknowledge JESUS CHRIST, as well as Moses, but maintain that GOD sent Mahomet as a still greater prophet than either.'

I mentioned the motion which had been made in the House of Commons, to abolish the fast of the 30th of January[448].

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, I could have wished that it had been a temporary act, perhaps, to have expired with the century.

I am against abolishing it; because that would be declaring it wrong to establish it; but I should have no objection to make an act, continuing it for another century, and then letting it expire.'

He disapproved of the Royal Marriage Bill; 'Because (said he) I would not have the people think that the validity of marriage depends on the will of man, or that the right of a King depends on the will of man.

I

should not have been against making the marriage of any of the royal family without the approbation of King and Parliament, highly criminal[449].'

In the morning we had talked of old families, and the respect due to them.

JOHNSON.

'Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself.

I am for supporting the principle, and am disinterested in doing it, as I have no such right[450].'

BOSWELL.

'Why, Sir, it is one more incitement to a man to do well.'

JOHNSON.

'Yes, Sir, and it is a matter of opinion, very necessary to keep society together.

What is it but opinion, by which we have a respect for authority, that prevents us, who are the rabble, from rising up and pulling down you who are gentlemen from your places, and saying "We will be gentlemen in our turn"?

Now, Sir, that respect for authority is much more easily granted to a man whose father has had it, than to an upstart[451], and so Society is more easily supported.'

BOSWELL.

'Perhaps, Sir, it might be done by the respect belonging to office, as among the Romans, where the dress, the toga, inspired reverence.'

JOHNSON.

'Why, we know very little about the Romans.

But, surely, it is much easier to respect a man who has always had respect, than to respect a man who we know was last year no better than ourselves, and will be no better next year.

In republicks there is not a respect for authority, but a fear of power.'

BOSWELL.

'At present, Sir, I think riches seem to gain most respect.'

JOHNSON.

'No, Sir, riches do not gain hearty respect; they only procure external attention.

A very rich man, from low beginnings, may buy his election in a borough; but, _caeteris paribus_, a man of family will be preferred.

People will prefer a man for whose father their fathers have voted, though they should get no more money, or even less.

That shows that the respect for family is not merely fanciful, but has an actual operation.

If gentlemen of family would allow the rich upstarts to spend their money profusely, which they are ready enough to do, and not vie with them in expence, the upstarts would soon be at an end, and the gentlemen would remain: but if the gentlemen will vie in expence with the upstarts, which is very foolish, they must be ruined.'

I gave him an account of the excellent mimickry of a friend of mine in Scotland[452]; observing, at the same time, that some people thought it a very mean thing.

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, it is making a very mean use of a man's powers.

But to be a good mimick, requires great powers; great acuteness of observation, great retention of what is observed, and great pliancy of organs, to represent what is observed.

I remember a lady of quality in this town, Lady ---- ----, who was a wonderful mimick, and used to make me laugh immoderately.

I have heard she is now gone mad.'

BOSWELL.

'It is amazing how a mimick can not only give you the gestures and voice of a person whom he represents; but even what a person would say on any particular subject.'

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, you are to consider that the manner and some particular phrases of a person do much to impress you with an idea of him, and you are not sure that he would say what the mimick says in his character.'

BOSWELL.

'I don't think Foote[453] a good mimick, Sir.'

JOHNSON.

'No, Sir; his imitations are not like.

He gives you something different from himself, but not the character which he means to assume.

He goes out of himself, without going into other people.

He cannot take off any person unless he is strongly marked, such as George Faulkner[454].

He is like a painter, who can draw the portrait of a man who has a wen upon his face, and who, therefore, is easily known.

If a man hops upon one leg, Foote can hop upon one leg[455].

But he has not that nice discrimination which your friend seems to possess.

Foote is, however, very entertaining, with a kind of conversation between wit and buffoonery[456].'

On Monday, March 23, I found him busy, preparing a fourth edition of his folio Dictionary.

Mr. Peyton, one of his original amanuenses, was writing for him.

I put him in mind of a meaning of the word _side_, which he had omitted, viz.

relationship; as father's side, mother's side.

He inserted it.

I asked him if _humiliating_ was a good word.

He said, he had seen it frequently used, but he did not know it to be legitimate English.

He would not admit _civilization_, but only _civility_[457].

With great deference to him, I thought _civilization_, from _to civilize_ better in the sense opposed to _barbarity_, than _civility_; as it is better to have a distinct word for each sense, than one word with two senses, which _civility_ is, in his way of using it.

He seemed also to be intent on some sort of chymical operation.

I was entertained by observing how he contrived to send Mr. Peyton on an errand, without seeming to degrade him.

'Mr. Peyton,--Mr. Peyton, will you be so good as to take a walk to Temple-Bar?

You will there see a chymist's shop; at which you will be pleased to buy for me an ounce of oil of vitriol; not spirit of vitriol, but oil of vitriol.

It will cost three half-pence.'

Peyton immediately went, and returned with it, and told him it cost but a penny.

I then reminded him of the schoolmaster's cause, and proposed to read to him the printed papers concerning it.

'No, Sir, (said he,) I can read quicker than I can hear.'

So he read them to himself.

After he had read for some time, we were interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Kristrom, a Swede, who was tutor to some young gentlemen in the city.

He told me, that there was a very good History of Sweden, by Daline.

Having at that time an intention of writing the history of that country[458], I asked Dr. Johnson whether one might write a history of Sweden, without going thither.

'Yes, Sir, (said he,) one for common use.'

We talked of languages.

Johnson observed, that Leibnitz had made some progress in a work, tracing all languages up to the Hebrew.

'Why, Sir, (said he,) you would not imagine that the French _jour_, day, is derived from the Latin _dies_, and yet nothing is more certain; and the intermediate steps are very clear.

From _dies_, comes _diurnus_.

_Diu_ is, by inaccurate ears, or inaccurate pronunciation, easily confounded with _giu_; then the Italians form a substantive of the ablative of an adjective, and thence _giurno_, or, as they make it, _giorno_; which is readily contracted into _giour_, or _jour_' He observed, that the Bohemian language was true Sclavonick.

The Swede said, it had some similarity with the German.

JOHNSON.

'Why, Sir, to be sure, such parts of Sclavonia as confine with Germany, will borrow German words; and such parts as confine with Tartary will borrow Tartar words.'

He said, he never had it properly ascertained that the Scotch Highlanders and the Irish understood each other[459].

I told him that my cousin Colonel Graham, of the Royal Highlanders, whom I met at Drogheda[460], told me they did.

JOHNSON.

'Sir, if the Highlanders understood Irish, why translate the New Testament into Erse, as was done lately at Edinburgh, when there is an Irish translation?'

BOSWELL.

'Although the Erse and Irish are both dialects of the same language, there may be a good deal of diversity between them, as between the different dialects in Italy.'

--The Swede went away, and Mr. Johnson continued his reading of the papers.

I said, 'I am afraid, Sir, it is troublesome.'

'Why, Sir, (said he,) I do not take much delight in it;

but I'll go through it.'

We went to the Mitre, and dined in the room where he and I first supped together.

He gave me great hopes of my cause.

'Sir, (said he,) the government of a schoolmaster is somewhat of the nature of military government; that is to say, it must be arbitrary, it must be exercised by the will of one man, according to particular circumstances.

You must shew some learning upon this occasion.

You must shew, that a schoolmaster has a prescriptive right to beat; and that an action of assault and battery cannot be admitted against him, unless there is some great excess, some barbarity.

This man has maimed none of his boys.

They are all left with the full exercise of their corporeal faculties.

In our schools in England, many boys have been maimed; yet I never heard of an action against a schoolmaster on that account.

Puffendorf, I think, maintains the right of a schoolmaster to beat his scholars[461].'