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From the Statue by Percy Fitzgerald in St. Clement Danes Churchyard.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

HORTLY after the death of Johnson-the day after,

SHO

according to Dr. Michael Lort in his letter to Bishop Percy, Nichols' "Illustrations of Literature," vol. vii., p. 467— there appeared the first of the various Lives of Johnson. It was entitled: "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., with Occasional Remarks on his Writings, an authentic Copy of his Will, and Catalogue of his Works :" and was published in 8vo., by Kearsley. It ran through several editions. The author of this anonymous sketch was William Cooke, afterwards known by the name of Conversation Cooke, from a poem of his entitled "Conversation." The author professes to give but a "sketch warm from the Life;" but, sketch though it be, it contains the main facts of Johnson's life, stated with considerable accuracy and precision. A few even of the original letters, which we meet with in Boswell's matured "Life," are given in 'he course of this narrative.

The animated sketch of Thomas Tyers, appeared in two consecutive numbers of the "Gentleman's Magazine," the number for December, 1784, and that for January, 1785. It is reprinted at full length in the volume "Johnsoniana," p. 171-193. Boswell, though he refused to avail himself to any great extent of this sketch, admits that it may be regarded as "an entertaining little collection of fragments" (vol. iii., p. 24). Tom Tyers was a favourite; his vivacity and eccentricity endeared him to Johnson, and this essay in the Gentleman's Magazine" confirms the justice of Boswell's

remark, that Tyers had lived with Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous acquaintance.

Within a year after the publication of these mere sketches by Cooke and Tyers, there appeared, "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. Samuel Johnson, printed by J. Walker, 44, Pater-Noster Row, 1785." This also was anonymous, but internal evidence of a very cogent character plainly points to the Rev. William Shaw as the author of this little volume of 197 pages 12mo.-which has become exceedingly

rare.

From the notices of Shaw which we find in Boswell, and especially from the statements of Shaw himself in this little volume, the chief particulars regarding his relations to Johnson may be satisfactorily ascertained.

About Christmas of 1774-just, therefore, as the "Journey to the Western Islands" was about to leave the press-through the kind offices of their common friend Mr. Elphinston, Shaw had been introduced to Johnson,' who eagerly interrogated the young Highlander "on his knowledge of Erse, and whether the Poems of Fingal existed in that language." The candour of Shaw, who confessed his ignorance of their existence, though he admitted that he had often endeavoured to satisfy himself on the point, at once recommended him to Johnson's friendship and sympathy. In a letter to Boswell under date March 14, 1777, he says, that " one Shaw, who seems a modest and a decent man, has written an Erse grammar, which a very learned Highlander, Mr. Macbean, has, at my request, examined and approved." The grammar was still in manuscript, but its publication had been recommended by formal proposals, a parcel of which were forwarded to Boswell. The real author of "the proposals for an Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language," Boswell at once discovered, and saw in them

1

Memoirs, &c., p. 148.

2 Vol. ii., p. 375.

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