Life of Johnson Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Life of Johnson novel. A total of 427 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Life Of Johnson.Vol. 1.by Boswell.Edited by Birkbeck Hill.PREFACE.Fielding, it is said,
Life Of Johnson.Vol. 1.by Boswell.Edited by Birkbeck Hill.PREFACE.Fielding, it is said, drank confusion to the man who invented the fifth act of a play. He who has edited an extensive work, and has concluded his labours by the preparation of a copious ind
- 201 'I have only to add, that my suggesting this occasion for the exercise of your candour and generosity, is altogether unknown to Dr. Percy, and proceeds from my good-will towards him, and my persuasion that you will be happy to do him an essential kin
- 202 Mrs. Knowles affected to complain that men had much more liberty allowed them than women. JOHNSON. 'Why, Madam, women have all the liberty they should wish to have. We have all the labour and the danger, and the women all the advantage. We go to sea,
- 203 Johnson, however, had a n.o.ble ambition floating in his mind, and had, undoubtedly, often speculated on the possibility of his supereminent powers being rewarded in this great and liberal country by the highest honours of the state. Sir William Scott inf
- 204 BOSWELL. 'Curst be the _spring_, the _water_.' JOHNSON. 'But let us consider what a sad thing it would be, if we were obliged to drink or do any thing else that may happen to be agreeable to the company where we are.' LANGTON. 'By
- 205 'Can sins of moment claim the rod Of everlasting fires?And that offend great Nature's G.o.d, Which Nature's self inspires[1027]?'and that Dr. Johnson observed, 'it had been borrowed from _Guarini_.'There are, indeed, in _Past
- 206 Mr. Langton has been pleased, at my request, to favour me with some particulars of Dr. Johnson's visit to Warley-camp, where this gentleman was at the time stationed as a Captain in the Lincolns.h.i.+re militia[1073].I shall give them in his own word
- 207 'London, November 2, 1778.''TO THE REVEREND DR. EDWARDS[1097], OXFORD.'SIR, 'The bearer, DR. BURNEY, has had some account of a Welsh Ma.n.u.script in the Bodleian library, from which he hopes to gain some materials for his History
- 208 'JAMES BOSWELL.'On the 23rd of February I wrote to him again, complaining of his silence, as I had heard he was ill, and had written to Mr. Thrale, for information concerning him; and I announced my intention of soon being again in London.'
- 209 On Sat.u.r.day, April 24, I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk's, with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Jones, (afterwards Sir William,) Mr. Langton, Mr.Steevens, Mr. Paradise, and Dr. Higgins. I mentioned that Mr. Wilkes had attacked Garrick to me, as a man wh
- 210 'SAM. JOHNSON.'My readers will not doubt that his solicitude about me was very flattering.'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.'DEAR SIR, 'What can possibly have happened, that keeps us two such strangers to each other? I expected to have heard
- 211 'Broughton Park, 'Sept. 21, 1779.'JOHNSON. 'Depend upon it, Sir, this is too strongly stated. Pope may have had from Bolingbroke the philosophick _stamina_ of his Essay; and admitting this to be true, Lord Bathurst did not intentionall
- 212 'The Bishop treated me with a kindness which was very flattering. I told him, that you regretted you had seen so little of Chester.[1275] His Lords.h.i.+p bade me tell you, that he should be glad to shew you more of it. I am proud to find the friends
- 213 'SAM. JOHNSON.''April 8, 1780.'Mrs. Thrale being now at Bath with her husband, the correspondence between Johnson and her was carried on briskly. I shall present my readers with one of her original letters to him at this time, which wi
- 214 Such was the end of this miserable sedition, from which London was delivered by the magnanimity of the Sovereign himself. Whatever some may maintain, I am satisfied that there was no combination or plan, either domestic or foreign; but that the mischief s
- 215 'I rejoice to hear of your good state of health; I pray G.o.d to continue it long. I have often said, that I would willingly have ten years added to my life, to have ten taken from yours; I mean, that I would be ten years older to have you ten years
- 216 While he was living the life of a lying scoundrel, he was, he says (p.192), 'happily restrained by Divine Grace,' so that 'all sense of remorse was not extinguished,' and there was no fall into 'downright infidelity.' At leng
- 217 Brighton, autumn; a short visit. Piozzi's _Anec_. p. 126, and _Piozzi Letters_, i. 1.1766. Streatham, summer and autumn; more than three months. Ante, ii.25, and _Pr. and Med_. p. 71.Oxford, autumn; a month. _Ante_, ii. 25.1767. Lichfield, summer and
- 218 'I wish you had staid longer in Spain, for no country is less known to the rest of Europe.' _Ante_, i. 365. He twice recommended Boswell to perambulate Spain. _Ante_, i. 410, 455.1763. 'Dr. Johnson flattered me (Boswell) with some hopes tha
- 219 On Oct. 17 he wrote:-- 'The summer has been foolishly lost, like many other of my summers and winters. I hardly saw a green field, but staid in town to work, without working much.' _Ante_, iii. 441.1784. Johnson's wish to go to Italy in the
- 220 'A Messieurs Le President et les autres Membres du Conseil de l'Academie Royale des Arts a Londres.'Messieurs, 'C'est avec la plus vive reconnoissance que J'accepte la charge de Secretaire pour la Correspondence etrangere de
- 221 [8] See _post_, April, 28, 1783.[9] See _post_, March 22, 1783.[10] See _post_, March 18, 1784.[11] Newbery, the publisher, was the vendor of Dr. James's famous powder. It was known that on the doctor's death a chemist whom he had employed meant
- 222 [43] According to Adam Smith this is true only of the Protestant countries. In Roman Catholic countries and England where benefices are rich, the church is continually draining the universities of all their ablest members. In Scotland and Protestant count
- 223 [82] Boswell, _post_, under March 30, 1783, says, 'Johnson discovered a love of little children upon all occasions.'[83] Johnson at a later period thought otherwise. _Post_, March 30, 1778.[84] Pope borrowed from the following lines:-- 'Whe
- 224 "Ah!" said Johnson, "that may be true; for the limbs will quiver and move when the soul is gone."' Northcote's _Reynolds_, i. 152. Farmer was Master of Emanuel College, Cambridge (_ante_, i. 368). In a letter dated Oct. 3, 17
- 225 [153] Mr. Langton is certainly meant. It is strange how often his mode of living was discussed by Johnson and Boswell. See _post_, Nov. 16, 1776, July 22, and Sept. 22, 1777, March 18, April 17, 18, and 20, May 12, and July 3, 1778.[154] Baretti made a br
- 226 [187] In the year 1770, in _The False Alarm_, Johnson attacked Wilkes with more than 'some asperity.' 'The character of the man,' he wrote, 'I have no purpose to delineate. Lampoon itself would disdain to speak ill of him, of whom
- 227 After all, I cannot help entertaining some doubt whether the words, _Difficile est proprie communia dicere_, may not have been thrown in by Horace to form a _separate_ article in a 'choice of difficulties' which a poet has to encounter, who choo
- 228 [253] It was not 'last year' but on June 22, 1772, that the negro, James Somerset--who had been brought to England by his master, had escaped from him, had been seized, and confined in irons on board a s.h.i.+p in The Thames that was bound for Jamaica,
- 229 Pope's _Essay on Man_, i. 99.[289] '"I inherited," said Johnson, "a vile melancholy from my father, which has made me mad all my life, at least not sober."' Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept. 16, 1773. See _ante_, i. 65, and _post_, Sept. 20, 1777.[290]
- 230 Murphy's _Garrick_, p. 302. Johnson wrote to Mrs. Thrale from Lichfield, 'Lucy [his step-daughter] thinks nothing of my prologue for Kelly, and says she has always disowned it.' _Piozzi Letters_, i. 352.[336] It was composed at a time when Savage was g
- 231 'Most faithfully yours, 'JAMES BOSWELL.'[371] William Seward, Esq., F.R.S., editor of _Anecdotes of some distinguished persons_, etc., in four volumes, 8vo., well known to a numerous and valuable acquaintance for his literature, love of the fine arts,
- 232 [407] The fifth earl, the successor of the celebrated earl. On Feb. 22, 1777, Dodd was convicted of forging a bond for 4,200 in his name; _Ann.Reg_. xx. 168. The earl was unfortunate in his tutors, for he had been also under Cuthbert Shaw (_ante_, ii 31 n
- 233 May 1782. At least once. _Post_, under March 19, 1782, and _Piozzi Letters_, ii. 240.Yet he wrote to Mrs. Thrale, 'I am of the chymical sect, which holds phlebotomy in abhorrence.' _Ib_. ii. 240. 'O why,' asks Wesley, who was as strongly opposed to bl
- 234 [462] 'I have enlarged my notions,' recorded Johnson in his _Journal of a Tour into Wales_ (Aug. 3, 1774), after he had seen some iron-works.[463] Young. BOSWELL.'Think nought a trifle, though it small appear.'Small sands the mountain, moments make th
- 235 [496] We read in the Gospels, that those unfortunate persons who were possessed with evil spirits (which, after all, I think is the most probable cause of madness, as was first suggested to me by my respectable friend Sir John Pringle), had recourse to pa
- 236 [533] Page 89. BOSWELL.[534] See Plott's _History of Staffords.h.i.+re_, p. 88, and the authorities referred to by him. BOSWELL.[535] See _ante_, ii. 247, and _post_, March 31, 1778.[536] See _ante_, i. 444.[537] Mrs. Piozzi records (_Anec_. p. 109):--'
- 237 [568] See _ante_, p. 86.[569] 'For I bear them record that they have a zeal of G.o.d, but not according to knowledge.' _Romans_, x. 2.[570] Horace Walpole wrote:--'Feb. 17, 1773. Caribs, black Caribs, have no representatives in Parliament; they have no
- 238 [604] The motto to it was happily chosen:-- 'Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esses.'I cannot avoid mentioning a circ.u.mstance no less strange than true, that a brother Advocate in considerable practice, but of whom it certainly cannot be said,
- 239 [637] The first edition was in 1492. Between that period and 1792, according to this account, there were 3600 editions. But this is very improbable. MALONE. Malone a.s.sumes, as Mr. Croker points out, that this rate of publication continued to the year 17
- 240 [670] Very likely Boswell himself. See _post_, July 17, 1779, where he put Johnson's friends.h.i.+p to the test by neglecting to write to him.[671] No doubt Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry, afterwards Bishop of Killaloe. See _ante_, p. 84.[672] The reverse of
- 241 [711] 'The dinner was good, and the Bishop is knowing and conversible,'wrote Johnson of an earlier dinner at Sir Joshua's where he had met the same bishop. _Piozzi Letters_, i. 334.[712] See _post_, Aug 19, 1784.[713] There is no mention in the _Journe
- 242 [744] Johnson's addressing himself with a smile to Mr. Harris is explained by a reference to what Boswell said (_ante_, p. 245) of Harris's a.n.a.lytic method in his _Hermes_.[745] 'Dr. Johnson said of a modern Martial [no doubt Elphinston's], "there
- 243 [784] See _ante_, p. 7.[785] See _post_, April 15, 1781.[786] See _ante_, ii. 224.[787] 'Thus commending myself and my eternal concerns into thy most faithful hands, in firm hope of a happy reception into thy kingdom; Oh! my G.o.d! hear me, while I humbl
- 244 _Hudibras_, i. I. 45.[822] 'Among the sentiments which almost every man changes as he advances into years is the expectation of uniformity of character.'_The Rambler_, No. 70. See _ante_, i. 161, note 2.[823] See _ante_, iii. 55.[824] After this follows
- 245 [864] See _A Letter to W. Mason, A.M. from J. Murray, Bookseller in London_; 2d edition, p. 20. BOSWELL.[865] 'The righteous hath hope in his death.' _Proverbs_, xiv. 32.[866] See _post_, June 12, 1784.[867] Johnson, in _The Convict's Address_ (_ante_,
- 246 Unde rubor vestris et non sua purpura lymphis?Qua rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas?Numen, convinvae, praesens agnoscite numen, Nympha pudica_ DEUM _vidit, et erubuit_.' MALONE.What gave your springs a brightness not their own?What rose so strange the w
- 247 [929] See Appendix A.[930] No doubt Parson Home, better known as Home Tooke, who was at this time in prison. He had signed an advertis.e.m.e.nt issued by the Const.i.tutional Society asking for a subscription for 'the relief of the widows, etc., of our b
- 248 [963] See _ante_, ii. 432.[964] Here he either was mistaken, or had a different notion of an extensive sale from what is generally entertained: for the fact is, that four thousand copies of that excellent work were sold very quickly.A new edition has been
- 249 [1005] '"Well, Sir," said he, "we had good talk." BOSWELL. "Yes Sir; you tossed and gored several persons."' _Ante_, ii. 66.[1006] Very likely their host. See _ante_, iii. 48.[1007] See _ante_, iii. 97.[1008] _Acts_, X. 1 and 2.[1009] Mr. Croker s
- 250 [1042] These words are quoted by Kames, iii. 267. In his abbreviation he perhaps pa.s.sed over by accident the words that Johnson next quotes.If Clarendon did not believe the story, he wished his readers to believe it. He gives more than five pages to it,
- 251 [1081] Langton.[1082]'He plunging downward shot his radiant head: Dispelled the breathing air that broke his flight; Shorn of his beams, a man to mortal sight.'Dryden, quoted in Johnson's _Dictionary_ under _shorn_. The phrase first appears in _Paradis
- 252 [1117] Murphy says, though certainly with exaggeration, that 'after Garrick's death Johnson never talked of him without a tear in his eyes.He offered,' he adds, 'if Mrs. Garrick would desire it of him, to be the editor of his works and the historian o
- 253 [1152]'Yes I am proud: I must be proud to see Men not afraid of G.o.d, afraid of me: Safe from the bar, the pulpit, and the throne, Yet touched and shamed by ridicule alone.O sacred weapon! left for truth's defence, Sole dread of folly, vice, and insole
- 254 [1185] According to Mr. Croker this was Andrew Millar, but I doubt it.See ante, i. 287, note 3.[1186] 'The Chevalier Taylor, Ophthalmiator Pontifical, Imperial, and Royal,' as he styled himself. _Gent. Mag_. x.x.xi. 226. Lord Eldon said that--'Taylor,
- 255 [1222] 'That those communications had been consolidated into a scheme regularly drawn and delivered to Pope, from whom it returned only transformed from prose to verse, has been reported but can hardly be true. The Essay plainly appears the fabrick of a
- 256 [1256] See _ante_, ii. 461.[1257] See _ante_, ii. 465.[1258] See _ante_, _ib_. p. 466 [1259] See _ante_, _ib_. p. 467.[1260] See _ante_, _ib_. p. 470.[1261] See _ante_, _ib_. p. 469.[1262] See ante_, p. 405.[1263] Bishop Porteus. See _ante_, p. 279.[1264]
- 257 [1297] In 1768, on his birthday, Johnson recorded, 'This day it came into my mind to write the history of my melancholy.' _Ante_, ii. 45, note 1.[1298] Johnson had dated his letter, 'London, April 25, 1780,' and added, 'now there is a date; look at i
- 258 [1338] In the first two editions _will_. Boswell, in the third edition, corrected most of his Scotticisms.[1339] In the _Life of Savage_ (_Works_, viii. 183) Johnson wrote of the keeper of the Bristol gaol:--'Virtue is undoubtedly most laudable in that s
- 259 Life Of Johnson.Volume 4.by Boswell._THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D._ Being disappointed in my hopes of meeting Johnson this year, so that I could hear none of his admirable sayings, I shall compensate for this want[1] by inserting a collection of them,
- 260 'Richardson had little conversation[99], except about his own works, of which Sir Joshua Reynolds said he was always willing to talk, and glad to have them introduced. Johnson when he carried Mr. Langton to see him, professed that he could bring him out
- 261 'Images such as the superficies of nature [easily] _readily_ supplies.'[His] Some applications [are sometimes] _may be thought_ too remote and unconsequential.'His images are [sometimes confused] _not always distinct_?Against his Life of MILTON, the ho
- 262 'No man sympathizes with [vanity, depressed] _the sorrows of vanity_.'It had been [criminal] _less easily excused_.'When he [threatened to lay down] _talked of laying down_ his pen.'Society [is so named emphatically in opposition to] _politically regu
- 263 Faults which many tongues [were desirous] _would have made haste_ to publish.But though he [had not] _could not boast of_ much critical knowledge.He [used] _waited for_ no felicities of fancy.Or had ever elevated his [mind] _views_ to that ideal perfectio
- 264 _Various Readings in the Life of Swift_.'Charity may be persuaded to think that it might be written by a man of _a_ peculiar [opinions] _character_, without ill intention.He did not [disown] _deny_ it.'[To] _by_ whose kindness it is not unlikely that he
- 265 TO THE SAME.'Jan. 9, 1781.Sir, Amidst the importance and multiplicity of affairs in which your great office engages you, I take the liberty of recalling your attention for a moment to literature, and will not prolong the interruption by an apology which
- 266 'Nay, my dear lady, don't talk so. Mr. Long's character is very _short_.It is nothing. He fills a chair. He is a man of genteel appearance, and that is all[270]. I know n.o.body who blasts by praise as you do: for whenever there is exaggerated praise,
- 267 Talking of a very respectable authour, he told us a curious circ.u.mstance in his life, which was, that he had married a printer's devil. REYNOLDS.'A printer's devil, Sir! Why, I thought a printer's devil was a creature with a black face and in rags.
- 268 However often I have seen you, I have hitherto forgotten the note, but I have now sent it: with my good wishes for the prosperity of you and your partner[381], of whom, from our short conversation, I could not judge otherwise than favourably.I am, Sir, Yo
- 269 At Shefford I had another affectionate parting from my revered friend, who was taken up by the Bedford coach and carried to the metropolis. I went with Messieurs Dilly, to see some friends at Bedford; dined with the officers of the militia of the county,
- 270 'January 5, 1782.'At a time when he was less able than he had once been to sustain a shock, he was suddenly deprived of Mr. Levett, which event he thus communicated to Dr. Lawrence:-- 'SIR, 'Our old friend, Mr. Levett, who was last night eminently che
- 271 'Such is the appearance of the world about me; I hope your scenes are more cheerful. But whatever befalls us, though it is wise to be serious, it is useless and foolish, and perhaps sinful, to be gloomy. Let us, therefore, keep ourselves as easy as we ca
- 272 'SAM. JOHNSON.'I wrote to him at different dates; regretted that I could not come to London this spring, but hoped we should meet somewhere in the summer; mentioned the state of my affairs, and suggested hopes of some preferment; informed him, that as _
- 273 'DEAR SIR, 'Being uncertain whether I should have any call this autumn into the country, I did not immediately answer your kind letter. I have no call; but if you desire to meet me at Ashbourne, I believe I can come thither; if you had rather come to Lo
- 274 'I am much flattered by the concern you are pleased to take in my recovery. I am better, and hope to have it in my power to convince you by my attention of how much consequence I esteem your health to the world and to myself. I remain, Sir, with grateful
- 275 BOSWELL. 'But surely, Sir, you will allow that there are men of merit at the bar, who never get practice.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, you are sure that practice is got from an opinion that the person employed deserves it best; so that if a man of merit at the bar
- 276 He disapproved much of mingling real facts with fiction. On this account he censured a book ent.i.tled _Love and Madness_[586].Mr. Hoole told him, he was born in Moorfields, and had received part of his early instruction in Grub-street. 'Sir, (said Johns
- 277 'SIR, 'Mr. Lowe considers himself as cut off from all credit and all hope, by the rejection of his picture from the Exhibition. Upon this work he has exhausted all his powers, and suspended all his expectations: and, certainly, to be refused an opportun
- 278 'TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.'DEAR SIR, 'The gentleman who waits on you with this, is Mr. Cruikshanks[677], who wishes to succeed his friend Dr. Hunter[678] as Professor of Anatomy in the Royal Academy. His qualifications are very generally known, and it ad
- 279 Soon after I perceived that I had suffered a paralytick stroke, and that my speech was taken from me. I had no pain, and so little dejection in this dreadful state, that I wondered at my own apathy, and considered that perhaps death itself, when it should
- 280 I wrote to him, begging to know the state of his health, and mentioned that Baxter's _Anacreon_[747], 'which is in the library at Auchinleck, was, I find, collated by my father in 1727, with the MS. belonging to the University of Leyden, and he has made
- 281 'I am, &c.'SAM. JOHNSON.''London, Dec. 24, 1783.''A happy and pious Christmas; and many happy years to you, your lady, and children.'The late ingenious Mr. Mickle[781], some time before his death, wrote me a letter concerning Dr. Johnson, in which
- 282 'SAM. JOHNSON.''Jan. 21, 1784.'His attention to the Ess.e.x-Head Club appears from the following letter to Mr. Alderman Clark, a gentleman for whom he deservedly entertained a great regard.'To RICHARD CLARK, ESQ.'DEAR SIR, 'You will receive a requi
- 283 All of them paid the most polite attention to my letter, and its venerable object. Dr. Cullen's words concerning him were, 'It would give me the greatest pleasure to be of any service to a man whom the publick properly esteem, and whom I esteem and resp
- 284 'April 10, 1784.'To THE SAME.'SIR, 'I am very much obliged by your civilities to my G.o.d-son, but must beg of you to add to them the favour of permitting him to see you paint, that he may know how a picture is begun, advanced and completed.'If he ma
- 285 We talked of our worthy friend Mr. Langton. He said, 'I know not who will go to Heaven if Langton does not. Sir, I could almost say, _Sit anima mea c.u.m Langtono_' I mentioned a very eminent friend[866] a virtuous man. JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir; but ---- has
- 286 'True as the dial to the sun, Although it be not shone upon[912].'We were well entertained and very happy at Dr. Nowell's, where was a very agreeable company, and we drank 'Church and King' after dinner, with true Tory cordiality.We talked of a certa
- 287 Talking to me of Horry Walpole, (as Horace late Earl of Orford was often called[967],) Johnson allowed that he got together a great many curious little things, and told them in an elegant manner[968]. Mr.Walpole thought Johnson a more amiable character af
- 288 On Sunday, June 27, I found him rather better. I mentioned to him a young man who was going to Jamaica with his wife and children, in expectation of being provided for by two of her brothers settled in that island, one a clergyman, and the other a physici
- 289 Ch-lm-ley;" _says the other, sternly, just lifting his eyes a moment from his book, and returning to it again, with renewed avidity.'_ This surely conveys a notion of Johnson, as if he had been grossly rude to Mr. Cholmondeley[1069], a gentleman whom he
- 290 Heberden, to my health, is extremely kind. I am loth to think that I grow worse; and cannot fairly prove even to my own partiality, that I grow much better.'August 5. 'I return you thanks, dear Sir, for your unwearied attention, both medicinal and frien
- 291 Lichfield, Oct. 20, 1784.''To Mr. George Nicol[1127].'Dear Sir, 'Since we parted, I have been much oppressed by my asthma, but it has lately been less laborious. When I sit I am almost at ease, and I can walk, though yet very little, with less difficu
- 292 'I am, &c.'SAM. JOHNSON.''London, Nov. 17, 1784.'His correspondence with me, after his letter on the subject of my settling in London, shall now, so far as is proper, be produced in one series:-- July 26, he wrote to me from Ashbourne:-- 'On the 14t
- 293 In his _Essays, Moral and Literary_, No. 3, we find the following pa.s.sage:-- 'The polish of external grace may indeed be deferred till the approach of manhood. When solidity is obtained by pursuing the modes prescribed by our fore-fathers, then may the
- 294 to p.r.o.nounce _supremum_ for _extremum_; at which Johnson's critical ear instantly took offence, and discoursing vehemently on the unmetrical effect of such a lapse, he shewed himself as full as ever of the spirit of the grammarian[1228].Having no near
- 295 A few days before his death, he had asked Sir John Hawkins, as one of his executors, where he should be buried; and on being answered, 'Doubtless, in Westminster-Abbey,' seemed to feel a satisfaction, very natural to a Poet; and indeed in my opinion ver
- 296 APPENDIX C.(_Page 253_.) Hawkins gives the two following notes:-- 'DEAR SIR, 'As Mr. Ryland was talking with me of old friends and past times, we warmed ourselves into a wish, that all who remained of the club should meet and dine at the house which onc
- 297 It is possible that Reynolds had never seen the Ess.e.x Head, and that the term 'little ale-house' he had borrowed from Hawkins's account. Possibly too his disgust at Barry here found vent. Murphy (_Life of Johnson_, p.124) says:-- 'The members of the
- 298 Ex gehenna debitoria, Vulgo, domo spongiatoria.'He adds that he hopes to have his _Ode on the British Nation_ done that day. This _Ode_, which is given in the _Gent. Mag._ 1742, p. 383, contains the following verse, which contrasts sadly with the poor po
- 299 [8] 'There is no kind of impertinence more justly censurable than his who is always labouring to level thoughts to intellects higher than his own; who apologises for every word which his own narrowness of converse inclines him to think unusual; keeps the
- 300 [47] One evening, in the Haymarket Theatre, 'when Foote lighted the King to his chair, his majesty asked who [sic] the piece was written by? "By one of your Majesty's chaplains," said Foote, unable even then to suppress his wit; "and dull enough to h