In reflecting that the illustrious subject of this Work, by being more extensively and intimately known, however elevated before, has risen in the veneration and love of mankind, I feel a satisfaction beyond what fame can afford. We cannot, indeed, too much or too often admire his wonderful powers of mind, when we consider that the principal store of wit and wisdom which this Work contains, was not a particular selection from his general conversation, but was merely his occasional talk at such times as I had the good fortune to be in his company; and without doubt, if his discourse at other periods had been collected with the same attention, the whole tenor of what he uttered would have been found equally excellent. His strong, clear, and animated enforcement of religion, morality, loyalty, and subordination, while it delights and improves the wise and the good, will, I trust, prove an effectual antidote to that detestable sophistry which has been lately imported from France, under the false name of Philosophy, and with a malignant industry, has been employed against the peace, good order, and happiness of society, in our free and prosperous country; but, thanks be to GOD, without producing the pernicious effects which were hoped for by its propagators. It seems to me, in my moments of self-complacency, that this extensive biographical work, however inferior in its nature, may in one respect be assimilated to the ODYSSEY. Amidst a thousand entertaining and instructive episodes the HERO is never long out of sight; for they are all in some degree connected with him; and HE, in the whole course of the History, is exhibited by the Author for the best advantage of his readers : -Quid virtus et quid sapientia possit, Should there be any cold-blooded and morose mortals who really dislike this Book, I will give them a story to apply. When the great DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, accompanied by LORD CADOGAN, was one day reconnoitering the army in Flanders, a heavy rain came on, and they both called for their cloaks. LORD CADOGAN's servant, a good-humoured alert lad, brought his Lordship's in a minute. The DUKE'S servant, a lazy sulky dog, was so sluggish, that his Grace, being wet to the skin, reproved him, and had for answer with a grunt, “I came as fast as I could ;" upon which the Duke calmly said," CADOGAN, I would not for a thousand pounds have that fellow's temper." who have, or think they Such may speak of their There are some men, I believe, have, a very small share of vanity. literary fame in a decorous style of diffidence. But I confess, that I am so formed by nature and by habit, that to restrain the effusion of delight, on having obtained such fame, to me would be truly painful. Why then should I suppress it? Why "out of the abundance of the heart" should I not speak? Let me then mention with a warm, but no insolent exultation, that I have been regaled with spontaneous praise of my work by many and various persons eminent for their rank, learning, talents, and accomplishments; much of which praise I have under their hands to be reposited in my archives at Auchinleck. An honourable and reverend friend, speaking of the favourable reception of my volumes, even in the circles of fashion and elegance, said to me, “ you have made them all talk Johnson."-Yes, I may add, I have Johnsonized the land : and I trust they will not only talk, but think, Johnson. 66 To enumerate those to whom I have been thus indebted, would be tediously ostentatious. I cannot however but name one, whose praise is truly valuable, not only on account of his knowledge and abilities, but on account of the magnificent, yet dangerous embassy, in which he is now employed, which makes every thing that relates to him peculiarly interesting. LORD MACARTNEY favoured me with his own copy of my book, with a number of notes, of which I have availed myself. On the first leaf I found, in his Lordship's handwriting, an inscription of such high commendation, that even I, vain as I am, cannot prevail on myself to publish it. July 1, 1793. A CHRONOLOGICAL CATALOGUE OF THE PROSE WORKS OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D. [N. B. To those which he himself acknowledged is added acknowl. To those which may be fully believed to be his from internal evidence, is added intern. evid. 1735. ABRIDGEMENT and translation of Lobo's Voyage to Abyssinia. acknowl. 1738. Part of a translation of Father Paul Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent. acknowl. [N. B. As this work, after some sheets were printed, suddenly stopped, I know not whether any part of it is now to be found.] FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface. intern. evid. Life of Father Paul. acknowl. 1739. A complete vindication of the Licenser of the Stage from the malicious and scandalous aspersions of Mr. Brooke, author of Gustavus Vasa. acknowl. Marmor Norfolciense: or, an Essay on an ancient prophetical inscription in monkish rhyme, lately discovered near Lynne in Norfolk: by Probus Britannicus. acknowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Life of Boerhave, acknowl. Address to the Reader. intern. evid. Appeal to the Publick in behalf of the Editor. intern. evid. Considerations on the case of Dr. Trapp's Sermons; a plausible attempt to prove that an author's work may be abridged without injuring his property. acknowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface. intern. evid. Life of Admiral Drake. acknowl. Life of Admiral Blake. acknowl. Life of Philip Barretier. acknowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface. intern. evid. A free translation of the Jests of Hierocles, with an introduction. intern, evid. Debate on the Humble Petition and Advice of the Rump Parliament to Cromwell in 1657, to assume the Title of King; abridged, methodized and digested. intern. evid. Translation of Abbe Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons. intern. evid. Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyric on Dr. Morin. intern, evid. 1742. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough. An account of the Life of Peter Burman, acknowl. The Life of Sydenham, afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's Edition of Proposals for printing Bibliotheca Harleiana, or a Catalogue of the Abridgement entitled Foreign History. intern. evid. Essay on the description of China, from the French of Du Halde. intern. evid. 1743. Dedication to Dr. Mead of Dr. James's Medicinal Dictionary. intern. evid. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface. intern. evid. Parliamentary Debates under the name of Debates in the Senate of Considerations on the dispute between Crousaz and Warburton on A Letter announcing that the Life of Mr. Savage was speedily to be Advertisement for Orborne concerning the Harleian Catalogue. intern. evid. 1744. Life of Richard Savage. acknowl. Preface to the Harleian Miscellany, acknowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface. intern. evid. 1745. Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth, with remarks on Sir T. H's (Sir Thomas Hanmer's) edition of Shakespeare, and proposals for a new Edition of that Poet. acknowl. 1747. Plan for a Dictionary of the English Language addressed to Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield. acknowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. 1748. Life of Roscommon. acknowl. Foreign History, November. intern. evid. FOR MR. DODSLEY'S PRECEPTOR. Preface. acknowl. Vision of Theodore the Hermit. acknowl. 1750. The Rambler, the first Paper of which was published 20th of March this year, and the last 17th of March, 1752, the day on which Mrs. Johnson died. acknowl. Letter in the General Advertiser to excite the attention of the Publick to the Performance of Comus, which was next day to be acted at Drury-lane Playhouse for the Benefit of Milton's Grand-daughter. acknowl. Preface and Postscript to Lauder's Pamphlet, entitled 'An Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns in his Paradise Lost.' acknowl. 1751. Life of Cheynel, in the Miscellany called 'The Student.' acknowl. Letter for Lauder, addressed to the Rev. Dr. John Douglas, acknowledging his fraud concerning Milton in terms of suitable Contrition. acknowl. Dedication to the Earl of Middlesex, of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox's 'Female Quixotte.' intern. evid. 1753. Dedication to John Earl of Orrery, of Skakespeare Illustrated, by Mrs. Charlotte Lennox. acknowl. During this and the following year he wrote and gave to his much loved friend Dr. Bathurst the Papers in the Adventurer, signed T. acknowl. 1754. Life of Edward Cave in the Gentleman's Magazine. acknowl. 1755. A Dictionary, with a Grammar and History, of the English Language. intern.evid, acknowl", An Account of an Attempt to ascertain the Longitude at Sea, by an exact Theory of the Variations of the Magnetical Needle, with a Table of the variations at the most remarkable Cities in Europe, from the year 1660 to 1860. acknowl. This he wrote for Mr. Zachariah Williams, an ingenious ancient Welsh Gentleman, father of Mrs. Anna Williams, whom he had for many years kindly lodged in his House. It was published with a Translation into Italian by Signor Baretti. In a copy of it which he presented to the Bodleian Library at Oxford, is pasted a character of the late Mr. Zachariah Williams, plainly written by Johnson. intern. evid. 1756. An Abridgement of his Dictionary. acknowl. Several Essays in the Universal Visitor, which there is some difficulty Life of Sir Thomas Browne prefixed to a new Edition of his Christian Morals. acknowl. In the Literary Magazine: or Universal Review, which began in Jan. 1756. His Original Essays are, The Preliminary Address. intern. evid. An Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain. intern. evid. Observations on his Britannick Majesty's Treaties with the Empress In the same Magazine his Reviews are of the following Books:-' Birch's Mrs. Lennox's Translation of Sully's Memoirs.'-' Letter on the |