Life Of Johnson, Volume 4 (of 6) - Boswell
Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47
'Dr. Johnson is aged seventy-four. Last summer he had a stroke of the
palsy, from which he recovered almost entirely. He had, before that,
been troubled with a catarrhous cough. This winter he was seized with a
spasmodick asthma, by which he has been confined to his house for about
three months. Dr. Brocklesby writes to me, that upon the least admission
of cold, there is such a constriction upon his breast, that he cannot
lie down in his bed, but is obliged to sit up all night, and gets rest
and sometimes sleep, only by means of laudanum and syrup of poppies; and
that there are oedematous tumours on his legs and thighs. Dr. Brocklesby
trusts a good deal to the return of mild weather. Dr. Johnson says, that
a dropsy gains ground upon him; and he seems to think that a warmer
climate would do him good. I understand he is now rather better, and is
using vinegar of squills. I am, with great esteem, dear Sir,
'Your most obedient humble servant,
'JAMES BOSWELL.'
'March 7, 1784.'
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 respect as much as I do Dr.
Johnson.' Dr. Hope's, 'Few people have a better claim on me than your
friend, as hardly a day passes that I do not ask his opinion about this
or that word.' Dr. Monro's, 'I most sincerely join you in sympathizing
with that very worthy and ingenious character, from whom his country has
derived much instruction and entertainment.'
Dr. Hope corresponded with his friend Dr. Brocklesby. Doctors Cullen and
Monro wrote their opinions and prescriptions to me, which I afterwards
carried with me to London, and, so far as they were encouraging,
communicated to Johnson. The liberality on one hand, and grateful sense
of it on the other, I have great satisfaction in recording.
'TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'I am too much pleased with the attention which you and your dear
lady[817] show to my welfare, not to be diligent in letting you know the
progress which I make towards health. The dropsy, by GOD'S blessing, has
now run almost totally away by natural evacuation; and the asthma, if
not irritated by cold, gives me little trouble. While I am writing this,
I have not any sensation of debility or disease. But I do not yet
venture out, having been confined to the house from the thirteenth of
December, now a quarter of a year.
'When it will be fit for me to travel as far as Auchinleck, I am not
able to guess; but such a letter as Mrs. Boswell's might draw any man,
not wholly motionless, a great way. Pray tell the dear lady how much her
civility and kindness have touched and gratified me.
'Our parliamentary tumults have now begun to subside, and the King's
authority is in some measure re-established[818]. Mr. Pitt will have
great power: but you must remember, that what he has to give must, at
least for some time, be given to those who gave, and those who preserve,
his power. A new minister can sacrifice little to esteem or friendship;
he must, till he is settled, think only of extending his interest.
* * * * *
'If you come hither through Edinburgh, send for Mrs. Stewart, and give
from me another guinea for the letter in the old case, to which I shall
not be satisfied with my claim, till she gives it me.
'Please to bring with you Baxter's _Anacreon_[819]; and if you procure
heads of _Hector Boece_[820], the historian, and _Arthur Johnston_[821],
the poet, I will put them in my room[822]; or any other of the fathers
of Scottish literature.
'I wish you an easy and happy journey, and hope I need not tell you that
you will be welcome to, dear Sir,
'Your most affectionate, humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'London, March 18, 1784.'
I wrote to him, March 28, from York, informing him that I had a high
gratification in the triumph of monarchical principles over
aristocratical influence, in that great country, in an address to the
King[823]; that I was thus far on my way to him, but that news of the
dissolution of Parliament having arrived, I was to hasten back to my own
county, where I had carried an Address to his Majesty by a great
majority, and had some intention of being a candidate to represent the
county in Parliament.
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
'DEAR SIR,
'You could do nothing so proper as to haste back when you found the
Parliament dissolved. With the influence which your Address must have
gained you, it may reasonably be expected that your presence will be of
importance, and your activity of effect.
'Your solicitude for me gives me that pleasure which every man feels
from the kindness of such a friend: and it is with delight I relieve it
by telling, that Dr. Brocklesby's account is true, and that I am, by the
blessing of GOD, wonderfully relieved.
'You are entering upon a transaction which requires much prudence. You
must endeavour to oppose without exasperating; to practise temporary
hostility, without producing enemies for life. This is, perhaps, hard to
be done; yet it has been done by many, and seems most likely to be
effected by opposing merely upon general principles, without descending
to personal or particular censures or objections. One thing I must
enjoin you, which is seldom observed in the conduct of elections;--I
must entreat you to be scrupulous in the use of strong liquors. One
night's drunkenness may defeat the labours of forty days well employed.
Be firm, but not clamorous; be active, but not malicious; and you may
form such an interest, as may not only exalt yourself, but dignify
your family.
'We are, as you may suppose, all busy here. Mr. Fox resolutely stands
for Westminster, and his friends say will carry the election[824].
However that be, he will certainly have a seat[825]. Mr. Hoole has just
told me, that the city leans towards the King.
'Let me hear, from time to time, how you are employed, and what progress
you make.
'Make dear Mrs. Boswell, and all the young Boswells, the sincere
compliments of, Sir, your affectionate humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'London, March 30, 1784.'
To Mr. Langton he wrote with that cordiality which was suitable to the
long friendship which had subsisted between him and that
gentleman[826].
March 27. 'Since you left me, I have continued in my own opinion, and in
Dr, Brocklesby's, to grow better with respect to all my formidable and
dangerous distempers: though to a body battered and shaken as mine has
lately been, it is to be feared that weak attacks may be sometimes
mischievous. I have, indeed, by standing carelessly at an open window,
got a very troublesome cough, which it has been necessary to appease by
opium, in larger quantities than I like to take, and I have not found it
give way so readily as I expected; its obstinacy, however, seems at last
disposed to submit to the remedy, and I know not whether I should then
have a right to complain of any morbid sensation. My asthma is, I am
afraid, constitutional and incurable; but it is only occasional, and
unless it be excited by labour or by cold, gives me no molestation, nor
does it lay very close siege to life; for Sir John Floyer[827], whom the
physical race consider as authour of one of the best books upon it,
panted on to ninety, as was supposed; and why were we content with
supposing a fact so interesting, of a man so conspicuous? because he
corrupted, at perhaps seventy or eighty, the register, that he might
pass for younger than he was. He was not much less than eighty, when to
a man of rank who modestly asked his age, he answered, "Go look;" though
he was in general a man of civility and elegance.
'The ladies, I find, are at your house all well, except Miss Langton,
who will probably soon recover her health by light suppers. Let her eat
at dinner as she will, but not take a full stomach to bed. Pay my
sincere respects to dear Miss Langton in Lincolnshire, let her know that
I mean not to break our league of friendship, and that I have a set of
_Lives_ for her, when I have the means of sending it.'
April 8. 'I am still disturbed by my cough; but what thanks have I not
to pay, when my cough is the most painful sensation that I feel? and
from that I expect hardly to be released, while winter continues to
gripe us with so much pertinacity. The year has now advanced eighteen
days beyond the equinox, and still there is very little remission of the
cold. When warm weather comes, which surely must come at last, I hope it
will help both me and your young lady.
'The man so busy about addresses is neither more nor less than our own
Boswell, who had come as far as York towards London, but turned back on
the dissolution, and is said now to stand for some place. Whether to
wish him success, his best friends hesitate.
'Let me have your prayers for the completion of my recovery: I am now
better than I ever expected to have been. May GOD add to his mercies
the grace that may enable me to use them according to his will. My
compliments to all.'
April 13. 'I had this evening a note from Lord Portmore[828], desiring
that I would give you an account of my health. You might have had it
with less circumduction. I am, by GOD'S blessing, I believe, free from
all morbid sensations, except a cough, which is only troublesome. But I
am still weak, and can have no great hope of strength till the weather
shall be softer. The summer, if it be kindly, will, I hope, enable me to
support the winter. GOD, who has so wonderfully restored me, can
preserve me in all seasons.
'Let me enquire in my turn after the state of your family, great and
little. I hope Lady Rothes and Miss Langton are both well. That is a
good basis of content. Then how goes George on with his studies? How
does Miss Mary? And how does my own Jenny? I think I owe Jenny a letter,
which I will take care to pay. In the mean time tell her that I
acknowledge the debt.
'Be pleased to make my compliments to the ladies. If Mrs. Langton comes
to London, she will favour me with a visit, for I am not well enough
to go out.'
'To OZIAS HUMPHRY[829], ESQ.
'SIR,
'Mr. Hoole has told me with what benevolence you listened to a request
which I was almost afraid to make, of leave to a young painter[830] to
attend you from time to time in your painting-room, to see your
operations, and receive your instructions[831].
'The young man has perhaps good parts, but has been without a regular
education. He is my god-son, and therefore I interest myself in his
progress and success, and shall think myself much favoured if I receive
from you a permission to send him.
'My health is, by GOD'S blessing, much restored, but I am not yet
allowed by my physicians to go abroad; nor, indeed, do I think myself
yet able to endure the weather.
'I am, Sir,
'Your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'April 5, 1784.'
To THE SAME.
'SIR,
'The bearer is my god-son, whom I take the liberty of recommending to
your kindness; which I hope he will deserve by his respect to your
excellence, and his gratitude for your favours.
'I am, Sir,
'Your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'April 10, 1784.'
To THE SAME.
'SIR,
'I am very much obliged by your civilities to my god-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 may attend you in a few of your operations, I hope he will shew
that the benefit has been properly conferred, both by his proficiency
and his gratitude. At least I shall consider you as enlarging your
kindness to, Sir,
'Your humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'May 31, 1784.'
'To THE REVEREND DR. TAYLOR, ASHBOURNE, DERBYSHIRE.
'DEAR SIR,
'What can be the reason that I hear nothing from you? I hope nothing
disables you from writing. What I have seen, and what I have felt, gives
me reason to fear every thing. Do not omit giving me the comfort of
knowing, that after all my losses I have yet a friend left.
'I want every comfort. My life is very solitary and very cheerless.
Though it has pleased GOD wonderfully to deliver me from the dropsy, I
am yet very weak, and have not passed the door since the 13th of
December[832]. I hope for some help from warm weather, which will surely
come in time.
'I could not have the consent of the physicians to go to church
yesterday; I therefore received the holy sacrament at home, in the room
where I communicated with dear Mrs. Williams, a little before her death.
O! my friend, the approach of death is very dreadful. I am afraid to
think on that which I know I cannot avoid. It is vain to look round and
round for that help which cannot be had. Yet we hope and hope, and fancy
that he who has lived to-day may live to-morrow. But let us learn to
derive our hope only from GOD.
'In the mean time, let us be kind to one another. I have no friend now
living but you and Mr. Hector, that was the friend of my youth. Do not
neglect, dear Sir,
'Yours affectionately,
'SAM. JOHNSON[833].'
'London, Easter-Monday,
April 12, 1784.'
What follows is a beautiful specimen of his gentleness and complacency
to a young lady his god-child, one of the daughters of his friend Mr.
Langton, then I think in her seventh year. He took the trouble to write
it in a large round hand, nearly resembling printed characters, that she
might have the satisfaction of reading it herself. The original lies
before me, but shall be faithfully restored to her; and I dare say will
be preserved by her as a jewel as long as she lives[834].
'To Miss JANE LANGTON, IN ROCHESTER, KENT.
'MY DEAREST MISS JENNY,
'I am sorry that your pretty letter has been so long without being
answered; but, when I am not pretty well, I do not always write plain
enough for young ladies. I am glad, my dear, to see that you write so
well, and hope that you mind your pen, your book, and your needle, for
they are all necessary. Your books will give you knowledge, and make you
respected; and your needle will find you useful employment when you do
not care to read. When you are a little older, I hope you will be very
diligent in learning arithmetick[835], and, above all, that through your
whole life you will carefully say your prayers, and read your Bible.
'I am, my dear,
'Your most humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'May 10, 1784.'
On Wednesday, May 5, I arrived in London, and next morning had the
pleasure to find Dr. Johnson greatly recovered. I but just saw him; for
a coach was waiting to carry him to Islington, to the house of his
friend the Reverend Mr. Strahan, where he went sometimes for the benefit
of good air, which, notwithstanding his having formerly laughed at the
general opinion upon the subject, he now acknowledged was conducive
to health.
One morning afterwards, when I found him alone, he communicated to me,
with solemn earnestness, a very remarkable circumstance which had
happened in the course of his illness, when he was much distressed by
the dropsy. He had shut himself up, and employed a day in particular
exercises of religion,--fasting, humiliation, and prayer. On a sudden he
obtained extraordinary relief, for which he looked up to Heaven with
grateful devotion. He made no direct inference from this fact; but from
his manner of telling it, I could perceive that it appeared to him as
something more than an incident in the common course of events[836]. For
my own part, I have no difficulty to avow that cast of thinking, which
by many modern pretenders to wisdom is called _superstitious_. But here
I think even men of dry rationality may believe, that there was an
intermediate[837] interposition of Divine Providence, and that 'the
fervent prayer of this righteous man[838]' availed[839].
On Sunday, May 9, I found Colonel Valiancy, the celebrated antiquarian
and Engineer of Ireland, with him. On Monday, the 10th, I dined with him
at Mr. Paradise's, where was a large company; Mr. Bryant, Mr. Joddrel,
Mr. Hawkins Browne, &c. On Thursday, the 13th, I dined with him at Mr.
Joddrel's, with another large company; the Bishop of Exeter, Lord
Monboddo[840], Mr. Murphy, &c.
On Saturday, May 15[841], I dined with him at Dr. Brocklesby's, where
were Colonel Vallancy, Mr. Murphy, and that ever-cheerful companion Mr.
Devaynes, apothecary to his Majesty. Of these days, and others on which
I saw him, I have no memorials, except the general recollection of his
being able and animated in conversation, and appearing to relish society
as much as the youngest man. I find only these three small
particulars:--When a person was mentioned, who said, 'I have lived
fifty-one years in this world without having had ten minutes of
uneasiness;' he exclaimed, 'The man who says so, lies: he attempts to
impose on human credulity.' The Bishop of Exeter in vain observed, that
men were very different. His Lordship's manner was not impressive, and
I learnt afterwards that Johnson did not find out that the person who
talked to him was a Prelate; if he had, I doubt not that he would have
treated him with more respect; for once talking of George
Psalmanazar[842], whom he reverenced for his piety, he said, 'I should
as soon think of contradicting a BISHOP[843].' One of the company[844]
provoked him greatly by doing what he could least of all bear, which was
quoting something of his own writing, against what he then maintained.
'What, Sir, (cried the gentleman,) do you say to
"The busy day, the peaceful night,
Unfelt, uncounted, glided by[845]?"'--
Johnson finding himself thus presented as giving an instance of a man
who had lived without uneasiness, was much offended, for he looked upon
such a quotation as unfair. His anger burst out in an unjustifiable
retort, insinuating that the gentleman's remark was a sally of ebriety;
'Sir, there is one passion I would advise you to command: when you have
drunk out that glass, don't drink another[846].' Here was exemplified
what Goldsmith said of him, with the aid of a very witty image from one
of Cibber's Comedies: 'There is no arguing with Johnson; for if his
pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it[847].'
Another was this: when a gentleman[848] of eminence in the literary
world was violently censured for attacking people by anonymous
paragraphs in newspapers; he, from the spirit of contradiction as I
thought, took up his defence, and said, 'Come, come, this is not so
terrible a crime; he means only to vex them a little. I do not say that
I should do it; but there is a great difference between him and me; what
is fit for Hephaestion is not fit for Alexander.' Another, when I told
him that a young and handsome Countess had said to me, 'I should think
that to be praised by Dr. Johnson would make one a fool all one's life;'
and that I answered, 'Madam, I shall make him a fool to-day, by
repeating this to him,' he said, 'I am too old to be made a fool; but if
you say I am made a fool, I shall not deny it. I am much pleased with a
compliment, especially from a pretty woman.'
On the evening of Saturday, May 15, he was in fine spirits, at our
Essex-Head Club. He told us, 'I dined yesterday at Mrs. Garrick's, with
Mrs. Carter[849], Miss Hannah More, and Miss Fanny Burney. Three such
women are not to be found: I know not where I could find a fourth,
except Mrs. Lennox, who is superiour to them all[850].' BOSWELL. 'What!
had you them all to yourself, Sir?' JOHNSON. 'I had them all as much as
they were had; but it might have been better had there been more company
there.' BOSWELL. 'Might not Mrs. Montagu have been a fourth?' JOHNSON.
'Sir, Mrs. Montagu does not make a trade of her wit; but Mrs. Montagu is
a very extraordinary woman; she has a constant stream of conversation,
and it is always impregnated; it has always meaning[851].' BOSWELL. 'Mr.
Burke has a constant stream of conversation.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir; if a
man were to go by chance at the same time with Burke under a shed, to
shun a shower, he would say--"this is an extraordinary man." If Burke
should go into a stable to see his horse drest, the ostler would
say--we have had an extraordinary man here[852].' BOSWELL. 'Foote was a
man who never failed in conversation. If he had gone into a stable--'
JOHNSON. 'Sir, if he had gone into a stable, the ostler would have said,
here has been a comical fellow; but he would not have respected him.'
BOSWELL. 'And, Sir, the ostler would have answered him, would have given
him as good as he brought, as the common saying is.' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir;
and Foote would have answered the ostler.--When Burke does not descend
to be merry, his conversation is very superiour indeed. There is no
proportion between the powers which he shews in serious talk and in
jocularity. When he lets himself down to that, he is in the
kennel[853].' I have in another place[854] opposed, and I hope with
success, Dr. Johnson's very singular and erroneous notion as to Mr.
Burke's pleasantry. Mr. Windham now said low to me, that he differed
from our great friend in this observation; for that Mr. Burke was often
very happy in his merriment. It would not have been right for either of
us to have contradicted Johnson at this time, in a Society all of whom
did not know and value Mr. Burke as much as we did. It might have
occasioned something more rough, and at any rate would probably have
checked the flow of Johnson's good-humour. He called to us with a sudden
air of exultation, as the thought started into his mind, 'O! Gentlemen,
I must tell you a very great thing. The Empress of Russia has ordered
the _Rambler_ to be translated into the Russian language[855]: so I
shall be read on the banks of the Wolga. Horace boasts that his fame
would extend as far as the banks of the Rhone[856]; now the Wolga is
farther from me than the Rhone was from Horace.' BOSWELL. 'You must
certainly be pleased with this, Sir.' JOHNSON. 'I am pleased Sir, to be
sure. A man is pleased to find he has succeeded in that which he has
endeavoured to do.'
One of the company mentioned his having seen a noble person driving in
his carriage, and looking exceedingly well, notwithstanding his great
age. JOHNSON. 'Ah, Sir; that is nothing. Bacon observes, that a stout
healthy old man is like a tower undermined.'
On Sunday, May 16, I found him alone; he talked of Mrs. Thrale with much
concern, saying, 'Sir, she has done every thing wrong, since Thrale's
bridle was off her neck;' and was proceeding to mention some
circumstances which have since been the subject of publick
discussion[857], when he was interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Douglas,
now Bishop of Salisbury.
Dr. Douglas, upon this occasion, refuted a mistaken notion which is very
common in Scotland, that the ecclesiastical discipline of the Church of
England, though duly enforced, is insufficient to preserve the morals of
the clergy, inasmuch as all delinquents may be screened by appealing to
the Convocation, which being never authorized by the King to sit for
the dispatch of business, the appeal never can be heard. Dr. Douglas
observed, that this was founded upon ignorance; for that the Bishops
have sufficient power to maintain discipline, and that the sitting of
the Convocation was wholly immaterial in this respect, it being not a
Court of judicature, but like a parliament, to make Canons and
regulations as times may require.
Johnson, talking of the fear of death, said, 'Some people are not
afraid, because they look upon salvation as the effect of an absolute
decree, and think they feel in themselves the marks of sanctification.
Others, and those the most rational in my opinion, look upon salvation
as conditional; and as they never can be sure that they have complied
with the conditions, they are afraid[858].'
In one of his little manuscript diaries, about this time, I find a short
notice, which marks his amiable disposition more certainly than a
thousand studied declarations.--'Afternoon spent cheerfully and
elegantly, I hope without offence to GOD or man; though in no holy duty,
yet in the general exercise and cultivation of benevolence.'
On Monday, May 17, I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's, where were Colonel
Valiancy, the Reverend Dr. Gibbons[859], and Mr. Capel Lofft, who,
though a most zealous Whig, has a mind so full of learning and
knowledge, and so much exercised in various departments, and withal so
much liberality, that the stupendous powers of the literary Goliath,
though they did not frighten this little David of popular spirit, could
not but excite his admiration[860]. There was also Mr. Braithwaite of
the Post-office, that amiable and friendly man, who, with modest and
unassuming manners, has associated with many of the wits of the age.
Johnson was very quiescent to-day. Perhaps too I was indolent. I find
nothing more of him in my notes, but that when I mentioned that I had
seen in the King's library sixty-three editions of my favourite _Thomas
a Kempis_, amongst which it was in eight languages, Latin, German,
French, Italian, Spanish, English, Arabick, and Armenian, he said, he
thought it unnecessary to collect many editions of a book, which were
all the same, except as to the paper and print; he would have the
original, and all the translations, and all the editions which had any
variations in the text. He approved of the famous collection of editions
of _Horace_ by Douglas, mentioned by Pope[861], who is said to have had
a closet filled with them; and he added, 'every man should try to
collect one book in that manner, and present it to a publick library.'