a house in Johnson's-court, Fleet-street'. Dr. Levet, his friend and physician in ordinary, paid his daily visits with assiduity; made tea all the morning, talked what he had to say, and did not expect an answer. Mrs. Williams had her apartment in the house, and entertained her benefactor with more enlarged conversation. Chemistry was part of Johnson's amusement. For this love of experimental philosophy, Sir John Hawkins thinks an apology necessary. He tells us, with great gravity, that curiosity was the only object in view; not an intention to grow suddenly rich by the philosopher's stone, or the transmutation of metals. To enlarge his circle, Johnson once more had recourse to a literary club. This was at the Turk's Head, in Gerrardstreet, Soho, on every Tuesday evening through the year 3. The members were, besides himself, the right honourable Edmund Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, the late Mr. Topham Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Mr. Chamier, Sir John Hawkins, and some others. Johnson's affection for Sir Joshua was founded on a long acquaintance, and a thorough Life, ii. 5. For his house in Bolt Court into which he moved in the winter of 1775-6 he paid £40 a year rent. Wheatley's London, i. 216. 2 Hawkins, p. 413. Hawkins adds that 'Johnson had for a laboratory the garret over his chambers in the Inner Temple; he furnished that with an alembic, with retorts, receivers, and other vessels adapted to the cheapest processes.... From the dregs of strong beer he was able to extract a strong but very nauseous spirit, which all might smell, but few chose to taste.' See anle, pp. 307, 408. 3 It was on Monday evening that the Club met. In Dec. 1772 the night was changed to Friday. Life, i. 478, n. 3; Hawkins, p. 415. 'The object of all clubs is either drinking or gaming, but commonly both.' Chesterfield's Letters, ed. 1845, ii. 425. If this is true Johnson and Rey knowledge of the virtues and amiable qualities of that excellent artist'. He delighted in the conversation of Mr. Burke. He met him for the first time at Mr. Garrick's several years ago. On the next day he said, 'I suppose, Murphy, you are proud of your countryman. CUM TALIS SIT UTINAM NOSTER ESSET!' From that time his constant observation was, 'That a man of sense could not meet Mr. Burke by accident, under a gateway. to avoid a shower, without being convinced that he was the first man in England 3. Johnson felt not only kindness, but zeal and ardour for his friends. He did every thing in his power to advance the reputation of Dr. Goldsmith. He loved him, though he knew his failings, and particularly the leaven of envy which corroded the mind of that elegant writer. and made him impatient, without disguise, of the praises bestowed on any person whatever. Of this infirmity, which marked Goldsmith's character, Johnson gave a remarkable instance. It happened that he went with Sir Joshua Reynolds and Goldsmith to see the Fantoccini, which were exhibited some years ago in or near the Haymarket. They admired the curious mechanism by which the puppets were made to walk the stage, draw a chair to the 1 'Sir Joshua Reynolds,' writes Boswell, was truly his dulce decus? Life, i. 244. Sir Pearce Edgcumbe of Somerleigh Court, Dorchester, the great-grandson of Sir Joshua's sister Mary, has pointed out to me how many of the great painter's relations were University men. On the paternal side, his grandfather was a B.A. of Exeter; his father a Fellow of Balliol; his uncle Joshua a Fellow of Corpus; and his cousin William a Fellow of Exeter, Oxford; while his uncle John was a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, and of Eton College. His mother's grandfather, the Rev. Thomas Baker, an eminent mathematician, was a Scholar of Wadham. This connection with the two universities, especially with Oxford, would have endeared him all the more to Johnson. 2 He praised its 'affluence.' Ib. ii. 181. His stream of mind is perpetual.' Ib. ii. 450. Burke is the only man whose common conversation corresponds with the general fame which he has in the world. Take up whatever topic you please, he is ready to meet you.' Ib. iv. 19. His talk is the ebullition of his mind; he does not talk from a desire of distinction, but because his mind is full.' Ib. iv. 167. He is never what we call hum-drum; never unwilling to begin to talk, nor in haste to leave off.' Ib. v. 33. 3'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."' Ib. iv. 275. See also ib. v. 34, and ante, p. 290. 4 Ante, p. 279. table, sit down, write a letter, and perform a variety of other actions with such dexterity, that though Nature's journeymen made the men, they imitated humanity to the astonishment of the spectator'. The entertainment being over, the three friends retired to a tavern. Johnson and Sir Joshua talked with pleasure of what they had seen; and says Johnson, in a tone of admiration, How the little fellow brandished his spontoon!' 'There is nothing in it,' replied Goldsmith, starting up with impatience; 'give me a spontoon; I can do it as well myself 3.' Enjoying his amusements at his weekly club, and happy in a state of independence, Johnson gained in the year 1765 another resource, which contributed more than any thing else to exempt him from the solicitudes of life. He was introduced to the late Mr. Thrale and his family. Mrs. Piozzi has related the fact, and it is therefore needless to repeat it in this place 5. The author of this narrative looks back to the share he had in that business with self-congratulation, since he knows the tenderness which from that time soothed Johnson's cares at Streatham, and prolonged a valuable life. The subscribers to Shakspeare began to despair of ever seeing the promised edition'. To acquit himself of this obligation, he went to work unwillingly, but proceeded with vigour. In the month of October 1765, Shakspeare was published; and, in a short time after, the University of I'I have thought some of Nature's journeymen had made men and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abominably.' Hamlet, Act iii. sc. 2. l. 37. 2 selection of it, and was so constant at our meetings as never to absent himself. It is true he came late, but then he stayed late.' Hawkins, p. 424. He was in later years irregular Spontoon is not in Johnson's in his attendance. Ante, p. 229, n. 4. Dictionary. 5 Ante, p. 232. 3 According to Boswell' Goldsmith went home with Mr. Burke to supper; and broke his shin by attempting to exhibit to the company how much better he could jump over a stick than the puppets.' Life, i. 414, n. 4. 4 'The hours which Johnson spent in this society seemed to be the happiest of his life; he would often applaud his own sagacity in the In his last letter to her Johnson speaks of 'that kindness which soothed twenty years of a life radically wretched.' Letters, ii. 407. 7 For Churchill's taunt on the delay, see Life, i. 319. 8 Life, i. 496. For the first edition he received £375, and for the second, £100. Gentleman's Magazine, 1787, P. 76. Dublin sent over a diploma, in honourable terms, creating him a Doctor of Laws'. Oxford in eight or ten years afterwards followed the example; and till then Johnson never assumed the title of Doctor. In 1766 his constitution seemed to be in a rapid decline, and that morbid melancholy, which often clouded his understanding, came upon him with a deeper gloom than ever. Mr. and Mrs. Thrale paid him a visit in this situation, and found him on his knees, with Dr. Delap, the rector of Lewes, in Sussex, beseeching God to continue to him the use of his understanding 3. Mr. Thrale took him to his house at Streatham; and Johnson from that time became a constant resident in the family. He went occasionally to the club in Gerrard-street; but his head quarters were fixed at Streatham. An apartment was fitted up for him, and the library was greatly enlarged. Parties were constantly invited from town; and Johnson was every day at an elegant table, with select and polished company. Whatever could be devised by Mr. and Mrs. Thrale to promote the happiness, and establish the health of their guest, was studiously performed from that time to the end of Mr. Thrale's life 5. Johnson accompanied the family in all their summer excursions to Brighthelmstone, to Wales, and to Paris'. It is but justice to Mr. Thrale to say, that a more ingenuous frame of mind no man possessed. His education at Oxford gave him the habits of a gentleman; his amiable temper recommended his I 1 Life, i. 488. The Oxford degree was conferred in 1775. Ib. ii. 331. According to Hawkins (p. 446):-'His attachment to Oxford prevented Johnson from receiving this honour [the Dublin degree] as it was intended, and he never assumed the title which it conferred.' Boswell states:-'It is remarkable that he never, so far as I know, assumed his title of Doctor, but called himself Mr. Johnson.' Life, ii. 332, n. I. In this Boswell was not perfectly accurate. 3 Ante, p. 234. Ib. Mr. Thrale's house in Southwark. 5 Had Mr. Thrale lived only four years longer how different would have been the closing scene of Johnson's life! 6 Life, ii. 285; v. 427. 7 Ib. ii. 384. 8 Murphy perhaps is thinking of Boswell, who writing of Thrale had said:-'There may be some who think that a new system of gentility might be established upon principles totally different from what have hitherto prevailed.... Such are the specious, but false arguments for a He had his apartment also in proposition which always will find conversation, conversation, and the goodness of his heart made him a sincere friend. That he was the patron of Johnson, is an honour to his memory. In petty disputes with contemporary writers, or the wits of the age, Johnson was seldom entangled. A single incident of that kind may not be unworthy of notice, since it happened with a man of great celebrity in his time. A number of friends dined with Garrick on a Christmas day. Foote was then in Ireland. It was said at table, that the modern Aristophanes (so Foote was called) had been horse-whipped by a Dublin apothecary, for mimicking him on the stage. I wonder,' said Garrick, that any man should shew so much resentment to Foote; he has a patent for such liberties; nobody ever thought it worth his while to quarrel with him in London.' 'I am glad,' said Johnson, ‘to find that the man is rising in the world.' The expression was afterwards reported to Foote; who, in return, gave out, that he would produce the Caliban of literature on the stage. Being informed of this design, Johnson sent word to Foote, 'That the theatre being intended for the reformation of vice, he would step from the boxes on the stage, and correct him before the audience 3. Foote knew the intrepidity of his antagonist, and abandoned the design. No ill-will ensued. Johnson used to say, 'That, for broad-faced mirth, Foote had not his equal".' Dr. Johnson's fame excited the curiosity of the King. His Majesty expressed a desire to see a man of whom extraordinary numerous advocates, in a nation where men are every day starting up from obscurity to wealth. To refute them is needless. The general sense of mankind cries out, with irresistible force, "Un gentilhomme est toujours gentilhomme." Life, i. 491. Johnson described Thrale as ‘a regular scholar.' Ib. p. 494. Miss Burney, on first seeing him, wrote:'He is a very tall, well-looking man, very well-bred, but shy and reserved.' Early Diary of Frances |