The History of the Regio Syrtica.

of America.

Turks, Tartars, and Moguls.

Indians.

Chinese.

Differtation on the peopling

The History of the Differtation on the Independency of the Arabs.

The Cofmogony, and a small part of the hif tory immediately following. By M. Sale. To the Birth of Abraham. Chiefly by Mr. Shelvock.

History of the Jews, Gauls, and Spaniards. By Mr. Pfalmanazar.

Xenophon's Retreat. By the fame.

History of the Perfians, and the Conftantinopolitan Empire. By Dr. Campbell. History of the Romans. By Mr. Bower *.

On

Before this authentic communication, Mr. Nichols had given in the volume of the Magazine for 1781, p. 370, the following account of the Univerfal Hiftory. The propofals were published October 6, 1729; and the authors of the first feven volumes were,

Vol. I. Mr. Sale, tranflator of the Koran.

II. George Pfalmanazar.

III. George Pfalmanazar.

On the morning of Dec. 7, Dr. Johnfon requested to fee Mr. Nichols. A few days before, he had borrowed fome of the early volumes of the Magazine, with a professed intention to point out the pieces which he had written in that collection. The books lay on the table, with many leaves doubled down, and in particular those which contained his fhare in the Parliamentary Debates. Such was the goodness of Johnson's heart, that he then declared, that "those "debates were the only parts of his writings "which gave him any compunétion; but "that at the time he wrote them he had no "conception that he was impofing upon the "world, though they were frequently writ "ten from very flender materials, and often “from none at all, the mere coinage of his

own imagination." He added, "that he "never wrote any part of his work with "equal velocity. Three columns of the

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Magazine in an hour," he faid, was no "uncommon effort; which was fafter than "most perfons could have tranfcribed that "quantity. In one day in particular, and "that not a very long one, he wrote twelve pages, more in quantity than ever het "wrote at any other time, except in the “Life of Savage, of which forty-eight pages "in octavo were the production of one long day, including a part of the night."

In the course of the converfation he asked, whether any of the family of Faden the printer were living. Being told that the geographer near Charing-crofs was Faden's fon, he faid, after a fhort pause, "I borrowed a gui

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nea of his father near thirty years ago; be "so good as to take this, and pay it for me."

Wishing to difcharge every duty, and every obligation, Johníon recollected another debt of ten pounds, which he had borrowed from his friend Mr. Hamilton the printer, about twenty years before. He fent the money to

Mr. Hamilton at his house in Bedford Row, with an apology for the length of time. The Reverend Mr. Strahan was the bearer of the message, about four or five days before Johnfon breathed his laft.

Mr. Saftres (whom Dr. Johnson esteemed and mentioned in his will) entered the room during his illness. Dr. Johnson, as soon as he faw him, ftretched forth his hand, and, in a tone of lamentation, called out, JAM MORITURUS! But the love of life was ftill an active principle. Feeling himself fwelled with the dropfy, he conceived that, by incifions in his legs, the water might be dif charged. Mr. Cruikshank apprehended that a mortification might be the confequence; but, to appease a distempered fancy, he gently lanced the furface. Johnson cried out, Deeper, deeper! I want length of "life, and you are afraid of giving me pain, "which I do not value."

On the 8th of December, the Reverend Mr. Strahan drew his will, by which, after a few legacies, the refidue, amounting to about fifteen hundred pounds, was bequeath

ed

ed to Frank, the Black fervant, formerly configned to the teftator by his friend Dr. Bathurst.

The history of a death-bed is painful. Mr. Strahan informs us, that the strength of religion prevailed against the infirmity of nature; and his foreboding dread of the Divine Justice subsided into a pious trust and humble hope of mercy at the Throne of Grace. On Monday the 13th day of December (the last of his existence on this fide the grave), the defire of life returned with all its former vehemence. He ftill imagined, that, by puncturing his legs, relief might be obtained. At eight in the morning he tried the experiment, but no water followed. In an hour or two after, he fell into a.doze, and about seven in the evening expired without

a groan.

On the 20th of the month his remains, with due folemnities, and a numerous attendance of his friends, were buried in W ftminster Abbey, near the foot of Shakspeare's monument, and clofe to the grave of the late Mr. Garrick. The funeral fervice was read by his friend Dr. Taylor.