"THE bearer of this, Mr. Beattie, Professor of Moral Philosophy at Aberdeen, is desirous of being introduced to your acquaintance. His genius and learning, and labours in the service of virtue and religion, render him very worthy of it; and as he has a high esteem of your character, I hope you will give him a favourable reception. "I ever am, etc., "JAMES BOSWELL." 66 TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE. "DEAR SIR, "I AM lately returned from Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The last letter mentions two others which you have written to me since you received my pamphlet. Of these two I never had but one, in which you mentioned a design of visiting Scotland, and, by consequence, put my journey to Langton out of my thoughts. My summer wanderings are now over, and I am engaging in a very great work, the revision of my Dictionary; from which I know not, at present, how to get loose. LANGTON HALL, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE The seat of the Langton family, where Johnson paid a visit to Bennet Langton in 1764. "If you have observed, or been told, any errors or omissions, you will do me a great favour by letting me know them. "Lady Rothes, I find, has disappointed you and herself. Ladies will have these tricks. The Queen and Mrs. Thrale, both ladies of experience, yet both missed their reckoning this summer. I hope a few months will recompense your uneasiness. "Please to tell Lady Rothes how highly I value the honour of her invitation, 25-(2279) which it is my purpose to obey as soon as I have disengaged myself. In the meantime, I shall hope to hear often of her ladyship, and every day better news and better, till I hear that you have both the happiness which to both is very sincerely wished by, Sir, In October, I again wrote to him, thanking him for his last letter, and his obliging reception of Mr. Beattie; informing him that I had been at Alnwick lately, and had good accounts of him from Dr. Percy. 66 In his religious record of this year we observe that he was better than usual, both in body and mind, and better satisfied with the regularity of his conduct. But he is still trying his ways" too rigorously. He charges himself with not rising early enough; yet he mentions what was surely a sufficient excuse for this, supposing it to be a duty seriously required, as he all his life appears to have thought it. "One great hindrance is want of rest; my nocturnal complaints grow less troublesome towards morning; and I am tempted to repair the deficiencies of the night."* Alas! how hard would it be if this indulgence were to be imputed to a sick man as a crime. In his retrospect on the following Easter-eve, he says, "When I review the last year, I am able to recollect so little done, that shame and sorrow, though perhaps too weakly, come upon me." Had he been judging of anyone else in the same circumstances, how clear would he have been on the favourable side. How very difficult, and, in my opinion, almost constitutionally impossible it was for him to be raised early, even by the strongest resolutions, appears from a note in one of his little paper-books (containing words arranged for his Dictionary), written, I suppose, about 1753: "I do not remember that, since I left Oxford, I ever rose early by mere choice, but once or twice at Edial, and two or three times for the Rambler." I think he had fair ground enough to have quieted his mind on the subject, by concluding that he was physically incapable of what is at best but a commodious regulation. * " Prayers and Meditations," p. 101. CHAPTER XX-1772 SAMUEL FOOTE Dr. Beattie-Boswell's Return to London-Lord Monboddo-Church of Scotland-Second SightThirty-Nine Articles-Royal Marriage Bill-Foote's Mimicry-Johnson prepares the Fourth Edition of the Dictionary-Mr. Peyton-Origin of Languages-Flogging-Scottish Accent-Ghost StoriesRanelagh-Hon. Thomas Erskine-General Oglethorpe-Goldsmith's Natural History-Johnson's Advice to Authors. IN 1772 he was altogether quiescent as an author; but it will be found, from the various evidences which I shall bring together, that his mind was acute, lively, and vigorous. "DEAR SIR,— 66 66 TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. 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. 66 When you send it, do not use your own seal. "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 epic poem from some happier pen than, Sir, "Your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, "Feb. 27, 1772." * Thus translated by a friend : "In fame scarce second to the nurse of Jove, This Goat, who twice the world had traversed round, Ease and perpetual pasture now has found." |