Page images
PDF
EPUB

FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.

1744. Preface; intern. evid.

1745. Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth, with remarks

on sir T. H.'s (sir Thomas Hanmer's) edition of Shakspeare, 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 reverend-Dr. John Douglas, acknow-
ledging his fraud concerning Milton in terms of suitable contrition;
acknowl.

Dedication to the earl of Middlesex, of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox's Female
Quixote; intern. evid.

1753. Dedication to John, earl of Orrery, of Shakspeare 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 Edw. Cave, in the Gentleman's Magazine ; acknowl.

1755. A Dictionary, with a Grammar and History, of the English Language;

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,

* This date is not accurate. The concluding Rambler was published on the 14th of March, three days before Mrs. Johnson died. See Prefatory Notice to the Rambler in the second volume of the Oxford edition of Johnson's Works.-ED.

VOL. I.

b

1755.

an ingenious ancient Welch gentleman, father of Mrs. Anna Williams, whom he 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.

1756.

Several essays in the Universal Visiter, which there is some difficulty in
ascertaining. All that are marked with two asterisks have been as-
cribed to him, although I am confident, from internal evidence, that
we should except from these the Life of Chaucer, Reflections on the
State of Portugal, and an Essay on Architecture: and from the same
evidence I am confident that he wrote Further Thoughts on Agricul-
ture, and a Dissertation on the State of Literature and Authors. The
Dissertation on the Epitaphs written by Pope he afterwards acknow-
ledged, and added to his Idler.

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
January, 1756, his original Essays are,

The Preliminary Address; intern. evid.

An Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain; intern. evid.
Remarks on the Militia Bill; intern. evid.

Observations on his Britannick Majesty's Treaties with the Empress of

Russia and the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel; intern. evid. Observations on the Present State of Affairs; intern. evid. Memoirs of Frederick the Third, king of Prussia ; intern. evid. In the same Magazine his reviews are of the following books: Birch's History of the Royal Society. Browne's Christian Morals. Warton's Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope, vol. i. Hampton's Translation of Polybius. Sir Isaac Newton's Arguments in proof of a Deity. Borlase's History of the Isles of Scilly. Home's Experiments on Bleaching. Browne's History of Jamaica. Hales on Distilling Sea Waters, Ventilators in Ships, and curing an ill Taste in Milk. Lucas's Essay on Waters. Keith's Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops. Philosophical Transactions, vol. xlix. Miscellanies by Elizabeth Harrison. Evans's Map and Account of the Middle Colonies in America. The Cadet, a Military Treatise. The Conduct of the Ministry relating to the present War impartially examined. intern. evid.

Mrs. Lennox's Translation of Sully's Memoirs. Letter on the case of admiral Byng. Appeal to the People concerning admiral Byng. Hanway's Eight Days' Journey, and Essay on Tea. Some further particulars in relation to the case of admiral Byng, by a gentleman of Oxford; acknowl.

Mr. Jonas Hanway having written an angry answer to the review of his Essay on Tea, Johnson in the same collection made a reply to it; acknowl. This is the only instance, it is believed, when he con

1756.

descended to take notice of any thing that had been written against him; and here his chief intention seems to have been to make sport. Dedication to the earl of Rochford of, and preface to Mr. Payne's In

troduction to the Game of Draughts; acknowl. Introduction to the London Chronicle, an evening paper, which still subsists with deserved credit; acknowl.

1757. Speech on the subject of an address to the throne after the expedition to Rochefort; delivered by one of his friends in some publick meeting: it is printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1785; intern. evid.

The first two paragraphs of the preface to sir William Chambers's Designs of Chinese Buildings, etc.; acknowl.

1758. The Idler, which began April 5, in this year, and was continued till April 5, 1760; acknowl.

An Essay on the Bravery of the English Common Soldiers was added to it, when published in volumes; acknowl.

1759. Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia, a Tale; acknowl.

Advertisement for the proprietors of the Idler against certain persons who pirated those papers as they came out singly in a newspaper called the Universal Chronicle, or Weekly Gazette; intern. evid.

For Mrs. Charlotte Lennox's English Version of Brumoy, a Dissertation on the Greek Comedy, and the general conclusion of the book;

intern. evid.

Introduction to the World Displayed. a collection of voyages and
travels; acknowl.

Three letters in the Gazetteer, concerning the best plan for Blackfriars'
Bridge; acknowl.

1760. Address of the Painters to George the Third on his Accession to the Throne; intern. evid.

Dedication of Baretti's Italian and English Dictionary to the marquis of
Abreu, then envoy-extraordinary from Spain at the court of Great
Britain; intern. evid.

Review in the Gentleman's Magazine, of Mr. Tytler's acute and able
Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots; acknowl.

Introduction to the proceedings of the committee for clothing the
French prisoners; acknowl.

1761. Preface to Rolt's Dictionary of Trade and Commerce; acknowl.

Corrections and improvements for Mr. Gwyn the architect's pamphlet, entitled, Thoughts on the Coronation of George the Third; acknowl. 1762. Dedication to the king, of the reverend Dr. Kennedy's Complete System of Astronomical Chronology unfolding the Scriptures, quarto edition; acknowl.

Preface to the Catalogue of the Artists' Exhibition; intern. evid.

1763. Character of Collins in the Poetical Calendar, published by Fawkes and Woty; acknowl.

Dedication to the earl of Shaftsbury of the edition of Roger Ascham's
English works, published by the reverend Mr. Bennett; acknowl.
The Life of Ascham, also prefixed to that edition; acknowl.

1763. Review of Telemachus, a masque, by the rev. George Graham, of Eton

college, in the Critical Review; acknowl.

Dedication to the Queen of Mr. Hoole's Translation of Tasso; acknowl. Account of the detection of the imposture of the Cock-lane Ghost, published in the newspapers and Gentleman's Magazine; acknowl. 1764. Part of a review of Granger's Sugar Cane, a poem, in the London Chronicle; acknowl.

Review of Goldsmith's Traveller, a poem, in the Critical Review; acknowl.

1765. The Plays of William Shakspeare, in eight volumes, 8vo, with notes; acknowl.

1766. The Fountains, a Fairy Tale, in Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies; acknowl. 1767. Dedication to the King of Mr. Adams's Treatise on the Globes; acknowl. 1769, Character of the reverend Mr. Zachariah Mudge, in the London Chron

icle; acknowl.

1770. The False Alarm; acknowl.

1771. Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland's Islands; ack. 1772. Defence of a Schoolmaster; dictated to me for the house of lords; acknowl.

Argument in support of the Law of Vicious Intromission; dictated to me for the court of session in Scotland; acknowl.

1773. Preface to Macbean's Dictionary of Ancient Geography; acknowl.

Argument in favour of the Rights of Lay Patrons; dictated to me for the general assembly of the church of Scotland; acknowl.

1774. The Patriot; acknowl.

1775. A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland; acknowl.

Proposals for publishing the works of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox, in three
volumes quarto; acknowl.

Preface to Baretti's Easy Lessons in Italian and English; intern.evid.
Taxation no Tyranny; an answer to the Resolutions and Address of the
American Congress; acknowl.

Argument on the case of Dr. Memis; dictated to me for the court of
sessions in Scotland; acknowl.

Argument to prove that the corporation of Stirling was corrupt; dictated to me for the house of lords; acknowl.

1776. Argument in support of the right of immediate, and personal reprehension from the pulpit; dictated to me; acknowl.

Proposals for publishing an Analysis for the Scotch Celtick Language, by the reverend William Shaw ; acknowl.

1777. Dedication to the King of the Posthumous Works of Dr. Pearce, bishop of Rochester; acknowl.

Additions to the Life and Character of that prelate; prefixed to those works; acknowl.

1777. Various Papers and Letters in favour of the reverend Dr. Dodd; ack. 1780. Advertisement for his Friend Mr. Thrale to the Worthy Electors of the

Borough of Southwark; acknowl.

First Paragraph of Mr. Thomas Davies's Life of Garrick; acknowl. 1781. Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the works of the most eminent

1781.

English Poets: afterwards published with the title of the Lives of
the English Poets; acknowl.

Argument on the importance of the Registration of Deeds; dictated to
me for an election committee of the house of commons; acknowl.
On the Distinction between Tory and Whig; dictated to me; acknowl.
On Vicarious Punishments, and the great Propitiation for the Sins of
the World, by Jesus Christ; dictated to me; acknowl.

Argument in favour of Joseph Knight, an African Negro, who claimed
his liberty in the court of session in Scotland, and obtained it; dic-
tated to me; acknowl.

Defence of Mr. Robertson, printer of the Caledonian Mercury, against the society of procurators in Edinburgh, for having inserted in his paper a ludicrous paragraph against them; demonstrating that it was not an injurious libel; dictated to me; acknowl.

1782. The greatest part, if not the whole, of a Reply, by the reverend Mr. Shaw, to a person at Edinburgh, of the name of Clarke, refuting his arguments for the authenticity of the poems published by Mr. James Macpherson as translations from Ossian; intern. evid.

1784. List of the Authors of the Universal History, deposited in the British Museum, and printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for December, this year; acknowl.

VARIOUS YEARS.

Letters to Mrs. Thrale; acknowl.

Prayers and Meditations, which he delivered to the rev. Mr. Strahan,

enjoining him to publish them; acknowl.

Sermons, left for publication by John Taylor, LL.D. prebendary of
Westminster, and given to the world by the rev. Samuel Hayes,
A. M. intern. evid.t

Such was the number and variety of the prose works of this extraordinary man, which I have been able to discover, and am at liberty to mention; but we ought to keep in mind, that there must undoubtedly have been many more which are yet concealed; and we may add to the account, the numerous letters which he wrote, of which a considerable part are yet unpublished. It is hoped that those persons in whose possession they are, will favour the world with them. JAMES BOSWELL.

† To this list of the writings of Dr. Johnson, Mr. Alexander Chalmers, with considerable probability, suggests to me that we may add the following:

IN THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.

1747. Lauder's Proposals for printing the Adamus Exul of Grotius, vol. 20. p. 404. 1750. Address to the Publick, concerning Miss Williams's Miscellanies, vol. 20. p. 428. 1753. Preface.

Notice of Mr. Edward Cave's death, inserted in the last page of the Index.

IN THE LITERARY MAGAZINE.

1756. Observations on the foregoing letter; i. e. a letter on the American Colonies, vol. i.

p. 66. MALONE.

Since the above were communicated to Mr. Malone, Mr. C. has discovered the following in the Gentleman's Magazine:

1739. Address to the Reader in May, 1749. Letter on Fire-works, in January. Criticism on Moore's Gil Blas.

1751. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine.

1754. Preface. A. C.

C

« PreviousContinue »