1766.

If

in the Preface to his edition which as when he read this year, in the regrets that he could not collate first publication of that acute more copies, since he had not young Mephistophelean critic, found the collectors of those that "Mr. Garrick's zeal rarities very communicative) was "would not permit him to the studied absence of any men-"withhold anything that Et. 38. tion of his acting. He had not "might ever so remotely tend withheld his old plays; he had "to show the perfections of that been careful, through others, to "author who only could have enabled let Johnson understand (too "him to display his own. Johnson notoriously careless of books,* could not have hit off a complias he was, to be safely trusted ment of such satirical nicety; he with rare editions) that the books must have praised honestly, if at were at his service, and that in all, and it went against his grain his absence abroad the keys of to do it. He let out the reason his library had, with that view to Boswell eight years aftersolely, been intrusted to a ser- wards. "Garrick has been libervant: but this implied an over-"ally paid, sir, for anything he ture from Johnson, who thought "has done for Shakespeare. it Garrick's duty, on the con- "I should praise him, I should trary, to make overtures to him; "much more praise the nation who knew that the other course "who paid him."* With better involved acknowledgments he reason he used to laugh at his was not prepared to make; and managerial preference of the who laughed at nothing so much, player's text (which it is little to on Davy's subsequent loan of all the credit of the stage that the his plays to George Steevens,** last of the great actors, Mr. * Cooke says (in his Life of Foote) his Macready, should have been the ordinary habit was to open a book so first to depart from **), and wide as almost to break the back of it, and then to fling it down. Cradock de- *Boswell, IV. 266. The real truth of scribes the same peculiarity; and adds his apparent inconsistencies about Garthat on one occasion, Johnson having rick, of which so many instances are been admitted to Garrick's room in given in this biography, was admirably Southampton-street to wait till its master hit off by Reynolds in the remark, that in should arrive, the latter found, on his ar-point of fact Johnson considered him to rival, all his most splendidly bound pre-be as it were his property; and would alsentation-volumes from various authors low no man either to blame or to praise and writers of plays &c flung damaged Garrick in his presence, without contraon the floor as "stuff, trash, and non-dicting him. In proof of this Sir Joshua "sense." Boswell, who refers to the cir- himself compiled, from actual recollected cumstances mentioned in the text, adds scraps of his talk about Davy, two that, "considering the slovenly and care-imaginary conversations, in the first of "less manner in which books were which Johnson attacks Garrick against "treated by Johnson, it could not have Sir Joshua, and in the second defends "been expected that scarce and valuable him against Gibbon. These dialogues "editions should have been lent to him." are to be found in Miss Hawkins's Memoirs, III. 229. 1. 110-128.

**Correspondence of Garrick, 1. 216-17. Oliver Goldsmith's Life and Times. 1.

**The Fool in Lear, and other master20

He

couple it with a doubt whether ing. With Iago's ingenious mishe had ever examined one of the chief, with Hal's gay compliance original plays from the first scene in Falstaff's vices, such a critic to the last. Nor did Gar- might be at home; but from Lear 1766. rick take all this quietly. in the storm, and from Macbeth Et. 38. The king had commanded on the blasted heath, he must be his reappearance in Benedict at content to be far away. the close of the year; and, though could, there, but mount the high he did not think it safe to resume horse, and bluster about imperial any part of which Powell was in tragedy. The tone was caught possession, except Lusignan, by the actor's friends; is perLothario, and Leon, his popu- ceptible in parts of his corlarity had again shone forth un- respondence; is in the letters abated. It brought back his of Warburton, and in such as I sense of power; and with it a have quoted of the Wartons; disposition to use it, even against and gradually, to the disturbance Johnson. The latter had not of even Johnson, passed from hesitated, notwithstanding their society into the press, and bedoubtful relations, to seek to came a stock theme with the "secure an honest prejudice" in newspapers. Garrick went too favour of his book by formally far, however, when he suffered asking the popular actor's "suf- the libeller Kenrick, not many "frage" for it on its appearance; months after his published atyet the suffrage of the popular tack on Johnson, to exhibit upon actor was certainly exerted his theatre a play called Falstaff's against it; and that Johnson had Wedding; and to make another not a taste for the finest produc- attempt, the following season, tions of genius,* Garrick after-with a piece called the Widowed wards went about busily explain- Wife. The first was damned,

never

and, till Shakespeare's fat Jack is forgotten, is not likely to be heard of again; the second passed into oblivion more slowly:** but

*It will suffice to refer to Gar. Cor. I. 205. But see what Mrs. Piozzi says, Anecdotes, 57-9.

งง

* His extraordinary argument in support of the unapproached excellence of a passage in Congreve's Mourning Bride (which he held to be superior to anything in Shakespeare, because the latter " "had six lines together without a fault," **See Davies's Life of Garrick, II. 132; Boswell, III. 99) is well known; but not- and Murphy's Life, II. 32, 33. "Who,' withstanding this and other abundant asks Garrick (Colman's Post. Lett. 290), proofs of his insensibility to the higher "wrote the Answer to Kenrick's Review? and more subtle parts of Shakespeare's "Johnson sent it to me through Steevens genius, his edition was an excellent one,"last week-but mum-it is not quite the and did noble service to the poet's text-"thing: by J.'s fondness for it, he must such was his knowledge of language, "have felt K-. What things we are! and the power of his strong common "and how little are we known!" Yet, on the other hand, see Boswell, iv. 305, for

sense.

1766.

Garrick was brought, by both, and his friend shifted the subinto personal relations with the ject. He spoke of the public writer which he lived to have claim and expectation that the reason to deplore. Meanwhile, author of Irene should give and for some little time to come, them "something in some what Joseph Warton had written "other way;" on which t. 38. was but too true. Garrick and Johnson began to talk of making Johnson were entirely off; and in verses, and said (very truly) that a certain gloom of spirits, and the great difficulty was to know disquietude of health, which were when you had made good ones. just now stealing over the latter, He remarked that he had once even his interest in the stage written, in one day, a hundred appeared to have passed away. lines of the Vanity of Human "I think, Mr. Johnson," said Wishes; and turning quickly to Goldsmith, as they sat talking Goldsmith, added, “Doctor, I together one evening in February, 'am not quite idle; I made one "you don't go near the theatres "line t'other day; but I made "now. You give yourself no "no more." Let us hear it," "more concern about a new play, said the other, laughing; "we'll "than if you had never had any-"put a bad one to it." "No, "thing to do with the stage." Johnson avoided the question,*if he retires to ease and tranquillity.

swered Kenrick.

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"A physician, who has practised long in "a great city, may be excused if he reJohnson's amusing and contemptuous "tires to a small town, and takes less reiteration about "the boy" who an- practice. Now, sir, the good I can do "by my conversations bears the same * In the dialogue that passed Johnson "proportion to the good I can do by my offered his excuse for the comparative "writings, that the practice of a physcantiness of his writings in the later "sician, retired to a small town, does to years of his life: JOHNSON: "Why, sir, "his practice in a great city." BOSWELL: "our tastes greatly alter. The lad does "But I wonder, sir, you have not more "not care for the child's rattle, and the "pleasure in writing than in not writ"old man does not care for the young "ing." JOHNSON: Sir, you may wonder." "man's whore." GOLDSMITH: "Nay, sir; Boswell, II. 318-9. Seven years later the "but your Muse was not a whore." same subject was resumed, when JohnJOHNSON: "Sir, I do not think she was. son, less disposed to be tolerant of him"But as we advance in the journey of self than in the present instance, told "life, we drop some of the things which Boswell that he had been trying to cure "have pleased us; whether it be that we his laziness all his life, and could not do are fatigued and don't choose to carry it; upon which Boswell, with broad also many things any farther, or that we lusion to the great achievement of the "find other things which we like better." Dictionary, interposed the remark, that if BOSWELL: "But, sir, why don't you give a man does in a shorter time what might "us something in some other way?" be the labour of a life, there was nothing GOLDSMITH: "Ay, sir, we have a claim to be said against him; and elicited from "upon you." JOHNSON: "No, sir, I am Johnson this admirable and noble reply: "not obliged to do any more. No man is "Suppose that flattery to be true, the "obliged to do as much as he can do. A" consequence would be that the world "man is to have part of his life to him-"would have no right to censure a man; "self. If a soldier has fought a good "but that will not justify him TO HIMSELF," many campaigns, he is not to be blamed Boswell, iv. 251.

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*

1766.

"sir," replied Johnson, "I have| Johnson, "with the hope of pre"forgot it." "vailing on him to sup with us Boswell was the reporter of "at the Mitre." But they found this conversation. He had him indisposed, and resolved not arrived from Paris a few to go abroad. “Come then,” Et. 38. days before, bringing with said Goldsmith gaily, “we will him Rousseau's old servant maid, "not go to the Mitre to-night, Mademoiselle Le Vasseur. "She's "since we cannot have the big "very homely and very awk-"man with us." Whereupon the "ward," says Hume, "but more big man, laughing at the jovial "talked of than the Princess of Irish phrase, called for a bottle "Morocco or the Countess of of port; of which, adds Boswell, 'Egmont, on account of her "Goldsmith and I partook, while 'fidelity and attachment towards "our friend, now a water drinker, "him. His very dog, who is no "sat by us.'

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"better than a collie, has a name One does not discover, in such "and reputation in the world!"* anecdotes as these, what honest It was enough for Boswell, who though somewhat dry Joe Warclung to any rag of celebrity; ton calls Goldsmith's solemn coxnor, remembering how the an- combry. But beside Boswell's cient widow of Cicero and Sal- effulgence in that kind, any lesser lust had seduced a silly young light could hardly hope to shine. patrician into thinking that her Even to the great commoner close connection with genius himself, at whose unapproachmust have given her the secret able seclusion all London had so of it, were Hume and Walpole lately been amazed, and who at quite secure of even the honour length, with little abatement of of the young Scotch escort of the haughty mystery, had reapthe ugly old Frenchwoman. peared in the House of ComThey arrived safely and virtu- mons, was "Bozzy" now reously, notwithstanding; and Bos- solved, before leaving London, well straightway went to John-to force his way. With Corsican son, whom, not a little to his Paoli as his card he would play discomfort, he found put by his for this mighty Pam; and mysdoctors on a water regimen. terious intimation had already Though they supped twice at the gone to Pitt of certain views of Mitre, it was not as in the old the struggling patriot, of the ilsocial time. On the night of the lustrious Paoli, which he desired conversation just given, being to communicate to "the prime then on the eve of his return to "minister of the brave, the secreScotland, he had taken Gold-"tary of freedom and of spirit." smith with him to call again on Wonder reigned at the Club Burton's Life, II. 299. when they found the interview And see Correspondence of Gray and Mason, 387. Boswell, II. 318.

1766.

Æt. 38.

granted, and inextinguishable than this, it should be always laughter when they heard of the kept in mind, posterity became interview itself. Profiting by chiefly indebted for its laugh at Rousseau's Armenian example, Goldsmith's literary vaniBoswell went in Corsican robes. ties, social absurdities, and "He came in the Corsican dress," so-called self-important says Lord Buchan, who was pre- ways. sent; "and Mr. Pitt smiled; but With Pitt's reappearance had “received him very graciously, meanwhile been connected an"in his pompous manner.' It other event of not less mighty was an advantage the young Scot consequence. On the day (the followed up; very soon inflicting 14th of January) when he rose to on Pitt a brief history of himself, support Conway's repeal of the in an elaborate epistle. He de- American stamp-act, and to rescribed his general love of great sist his accompanying admission people, and how that Mr. Pitt's that such an act was not void in character in particular had filled itself; when, in answer, to Numany of his best hours with what gent's furious denunciation of he oddly called "that noble ad-rebellious colonies, he rejoiced "miration which a disinterested that Massachusetts had resisted, “soul can enjoy in the bower of and affirmed that colonies unre"philosophy." He told him he presented could not be taxed by was going to publish an account parliament; Burke took his seat, of Corsica, and of Paoli's gal-by an arrangement with Lord lant efforts against the tyrant Verney, for Wendover borough. Genoese; added that to please A fortnight later he made his his father he had himself studied first speech, and divided the adlaw, and was now fairly entered miration of the house with Pitt to the bar; and concluded thus: himself.* Afterwards, and with "I begin to like it. I can labour "hard; I feel myself coming for"ward, and I hope to be useful 66 tomy country. Could you find time to honour me now and then with a "letter?" "** To no wiser man

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In the best passages of his Memoirs of George III, Horace Walpole celebrates Pitt's farewell, and Burke's accession, to the House of Commons. "Two great "orators and statesmen," says Mr. Macau

lay, speaking of the debates on Conway's motion, "belonging to two different 66 generations, repeatedly put forth all "In consequence of this letter," "their powers in defence of the bill. The wrote Lord Buchan on the back of one of "house of commons heard Pitt for the Boswell's epistles, "I desired him to call "last time, and Burke for the first time, "at Mr. Pitt's, and took care to be with" and was in doubt to which of them the "him when he was introduced. Mr. Pitt" palm of eloquence should be assigned. 66 was then in the Duke of Grafton's "It was indeed a splendid sunset and a "house in Great-bond-street... Boswell "splendid dawn." Essays, II. 517. Burke "had genius, but wanted ballast to coun66 teract his whim. He preferred being a "showman to keeping a shop of his own." ** Chatham Correspondence, III. 247.

himself, as though unconscious of his own more commanding greatness, speaks in a precisely similar strain of the sudden burst of Charles Townshend on