of our company, a Doctor of Divinity, and a plain matter-of-fact man, by way of offering an apology for Mr. Swinton, gravely remarked, that he had probably preached the same sermon before the University: Yes, Sir, (says Johnson) but the University were not to be hanged the next morning.' 6 "I forgot to observe before, that when he left Mr. Meeke, (as I have told above) he added, About the same time of life, Meeke was left behind at Oxford to feed on a Fellowship, and I went to London to get my living: now, Sir, see the difference of our literary characters!"" The following letter was written by Dr. Johnson to Mr. Chambers, of Lincoln College, afterwards Sir Robert Chambers, one of the judges in India: 1 To MR. CHAMBERS, OF LINCOLN COLLEGE. "DEAR SIR, "THE Commission which I delayed to trouble you with at your departure, I am now obliged to send you; and beg that you will be so kind as to carry it to Mr. Warton, of Trinity, to whom I should have written immediately, but that I know not if he be yet come back to Oxford. "In the Catalogue of MSS. of Gr. Brit. see vol. I. pag. 18. MSS. Bodl. MARTYRIUM XV. martyrum sub Juliano, auctore Theophylacto. "It is desired that Mr. Warton will enquire, and send word, what will be the cost of transcribing this manuscript. 'Vol. II. p. 32. Num. 1022. 58. COLL. Nov.-Commentaria in Acta Apostol.-Comment. in Septem Epistolas Catholicas. "He is desired to tell what is the age of each of these manuscripts: and what it will cost to have a transcript of the two first pages of each. "If Mr. Warton be not in Oxford, you may try if you can get it done by any body else; or stay till he comes according to your own convenience. It is for an Italian literato. "The answer is to be directed to his Excellency Mr. Zon, Venetian Resident, Soho-Square. 66 'I hope, dear Sir, that you do not regret the change of London 1 Communicated by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Warton, who had the original. M for Oxford. Mr. Baretti is well, and Miss Williams;1 and we shall all be glad to hear from you, whenever you shall be so kind as to write to, Sir, "Your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "Nov. 21, 1754." The degree of Master of Arts, which, it has been observed, could not be obtained for him at an early period of his life, was now considered as an honour of considerable importance, in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary; and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high, his friends thought that, if proper exertions were made, the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment. "TO THE REVEREND MR. THOMAS WARTON. "DEAR SIR, 2 "I AM extremely obliged to you and to Mr. Wise, for the uncommon care which you have taken of my interest; if you can accomplish your kind design, I shall certainly take me a little habitation among you. "The books which I promised to Mr. Wise, I have not been able to procure: but I shall send him a Finnick Dictionary, the only copy, perhaps, in England, which was presented me by a learned Swede: but I keep it back, that it may make a set of my own books of the new edition, with which I shall accompany it, more welcome. You will assure him of my gratitude. 1 "I presume she was a relation of Mr. Zachariah Williams, who died in his eighty-third year, July 12, 1755. When Dr. Johnson was with me at Oxford, in 1755, he gave to the Bodleian Library a thin quarto of twenty-one pages, a work in Italian, with an English translation on the opposite page. The English title-page is this: "An account of an Attempt to ascertain the Longitude at Sea, by an exact Variation of the Magnetical Needle, &c. By Zachariah Williams. London, printed for Dodsley, 1755." The English translation, from the strongest internal marks, is unquestionably the work of Johnson. In a blank leaf, Johnson has written the age, and time of death, of the author Z. Williams, as I have said above. On another blank leaf, is pasted a paragraph from a news-paper, of the death and character of Williams, which is plainly written by Johnson. He was very anxious about placing this book in the Bodleian: and, for fear of any omission or mistake, he entered, in the great Catalogue, the title-page of it with his own hand." [In this statement there is a slight mistake. The English account, which was written by Johnson, was the original; the Italian was a translation, done by Baretti. See post, 1755.-M.] "In procuring him the degree of Master of Arts by diploma at Oxford." "Lately fellow of Trinity College, and at this time Radclivian librarian, at Oxford. He was a man of very considerable learning, and eminently skilled in Roman and Anglo-Saxon antiquities. He died in 1767." "Poor dear Collins !1-Would a letter give him any pleasure? I have a mind to write. "I am glad of your hindrance in your Spenserian design,2 yet I would not have it delayed. Three hours a day stolen from sleep and amusement will produce it. Let a Servitour3 transcribe the quotations, and interleave them with references, to save time. This will shorten the work, and lessen the fatigue. "Can I do any thing to promoting the diploma? I would not be wanting to co-operate with your kindness; of which, whatever be the effect, I shall be, dear Sir, "[London,] Nov. 28, 1754." "DEAR SIR, "Your most obliged, &c. TO THE SAME. "SAM. JOHNSON." "I AM extremely sensible of the favour done me, both by Mr. Wise and yourself. The book cannot, I think, be printed in less 1 "Collins (the poet) was at this time at Oxford, on a visit to Mr. Warton; but labouring under the most deplorable languor of body, and dejection of mind." [In a letter to Dr. Joseph Warton, written some months before, (March 8, 1754,) Dr. Johnson thus speaks of Collins : "But how little can we venture to exult in any intellectual powers or literary attainments, when we consider the condition of poor Collins. I knew him a few years ago full of hopes, and full of projects, versed in many languages, high in fancy, and strong in retention. This busy and forcible mind is now under the government of those, who lately could not have been able to comprehend the least and most narrow of his designs. What do you hear of him? are there hopes of his recovery? or is he to pass the remainder of his life in misery and degradation? perhaps, with complete consciousness of his calamity." In a subsequent letter to the same gentleman, (Dec. 24, 1754,) he thus feelingly alludes to their unfortunate friend: "Poor dear Collins! Let me know whether you think it would give him pleasure if I should write to him. I have often been near his state, and therefore have it in great commiseration." Again, April 9, 1756: "What becomes of poor dear Collins? I wrote him a letter which he never answered. I suppose writing is very troublesome to him. That man is no common loss. The moralists all talk of the uncertainty of fortune, and the transitoriness of beauty: but it is yet more dreadful to consider that the powers of the mind are equally liable to change, that understanding may make its appearance and depart, that it may blaze and expire" See Biographical Memoirs of the late Reverend Dr. Joseph Warton, by the Reverend John Wool, A.M. 4to. 1806. Mr. Collins, who was the son of a hatter at Chichester, was born December 25, 1720, and was released from the dismal state here so pathetically described, in 1756.-M.j 2 "Of publishing a volume of observations on the best of Spenser's works. hindered by my taking pupils in this College." "Young students of the lowest rank at Oxford are so called." It was than six weeks, nor probably so soon; and I will keep back the title-page, for such an insertion as you seem to promise me. Be pleased to let me know what money I shall send you for bearing the expence of the affair; and I will take care that you may have it ready at your hand. "I had lately the favour of a letter from your brother, with some account of poor Collins, for whom I am much concerned. I have a notion, that by very great temperance, or more properly abstinence, he may yet recover. "There is an old English and Latin book of poems by Barclay, called "The Ship of Fools;" at the end of which are a number of Eglogues, so he writes it, from Egloga,-which are probably the first in our language. If you cannot find the book, I will get Mr. Dodsley to send it you. "I shall be extremely glad to hear from you again, to know, if the affair proceeds.1 I have mentioned it to none of my friends, for fear of being laughed at for my disappointment. "You know poor Mr. Dodsley has lost his wife; I believe he is much affected. I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine. Οίμοι· τι δ' οἴμοι; θνητὰ γὰρ πεπόνθαμεν. 2 I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind; a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life, without any direction, or fixed point of view: a gloomy gazer on the world to which I have little relation. Yet I would endeavour, by the help of you and your brother, to supply the want of closer union, by friendship: and hope to have long the pleasure of being, dear Sir, "[London] Dec. 21, 1754." "Most affectionately your's, In 1775 we behold him to great advantage; his degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him, his Dictionary published, his correspondence animated, his benevolence exercised. 1 "Of the degree at Oxford." 2 [This verse is taken from the long lost BELLEROPHON, a tragedy by Euripides. It is preserved by Suidas in his Lexicon, Voc. Otuoi II. p. 666; where the reading is, Ovŋtá TOL TETOVOαμEv.-Rev. C. BURNEY.] "I WROTE to you some weeks ago, but believe did not direct accurately, and therefore know not whether you had my letter. I would, likewise, write to your brother, but know not where to find him. I now begin to see land, after having wandered, according to Mr. Warburton's phrase, in this vast sea of words. What reception I shall meet with on the shore, I know not; whether the sound of bells, and acclamations of the people, which Ariosto talks of in his last Canto, or a general murmur of dislike, I know not whether I shall find upon the coast a Calypso that will court, or a Polypheme that will resist. But if Polypheme comes, have at his eye. I hope, however, the criticks will let me be at peace; for though I do not much fear their skill and strength, I am a little afraid of myself, and would not willingly feel so much ill-will in my bosom as literary quarrels are apt to excite. "Mr. Baretti is about a work for which he is in great want of Crescimbeni, which you may have again when you please. "There is nothing considerable done or doing among us here. We are not, perhaps, as innocent as villagers, but most of us seem to be as idle. I hope, however, you are busy; and should be glad to know what you are doing. I am, dearest Sir, TO THE SAME. "DEAR SIR, "I RECEIVED Your letter this day, with great sense of the favour that has been done me; 1 for which I return my most sincere thanks; and entreat you to pay to Mr. Wise such returns as I ought to make for so much kindness so little deserved. "I sent Mr. Wise the Lexicon, and afterwards wrote to him; but know not whether he had either the book or letter. Be so good as to contrive to enquire. "But why does my dear Mr. Warton tell me nothing of himself? Where hangs the new volume ? 2 Can I help? Let not the past "His degree had now past, according to the usual form, the suffrages of the heads of Colleges; but was not yet finally granted by the University. It was carried without a single dissentient voice." 2 On Spenser." |