Johnson, but violently attacked by Churchill, 1738. who utters the following imprecation: May I (can worfe difgrace on manhood fall?) "Be born a Whitehead, and baptiz'd a Paul!" yet I shall never be perfuaded to think meanly of the authour of fo brilliant and pointed a fatire as "MANNERS." Johnson's "London" was published in May, 1738*; and it is remarkable, that it came out on the fame morning with Pope's fatire, entitled "1738;" fo that England had at once its Juvenal and Horace as poetical monitors. The Reverend Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, to whom I am indebted for fome obliging communications, was then a student at Oxford, and remembers well the effect which "London" produced. Every body was delighted with it; and there being no name to it, the first buz of the literary circles was "here is an unknown poet, greater even than Pope." And it is recorded in the Gentleman's L 2 Sir John Hawkins, p. 86, tells us, "The event is antedated, in the poem of London; but in every particular, except the difference of a year, what is there faid of the departure of Thales, must be understood of Savage, and looked upon as true hiftory." This conjecture is, I believe, entirely groundless. I have been assured, that Johnson faid he was not so much as acquainted with Savage when he wrote his 66 "London". If the departure mentioned in it was the departure of Savage, the event was not antedated but foreseen; for "London" was published in May, 1738, and Savage did not fet out for Wales till July, $739. However well Johnfon could defend the credibility of fecond fight, he did not pretend that he himself was poffeffed of that faculty. 1738. Atat. 29. Magazine of that year, that it "got to the fecond edition in the course of a week." One of the warmeft patrons of this poem on its first appearance was General Oglethorpe, whose "strong benevolence of foul" was unabated during the course of a very long life; though it is painful to think, that he had but too much reason to become cold and callous, and discontented with the world, from the neglect which he experienced of his publick and private worth, by those in whose power it was to gratify fo gallant a veteran with marks of diftinction. This extraordinary person was as remarkable for his learning and taste, as for his other eminent qualities; and no man was more prompt, active, and generous in encouraging merit. I have heard Johnfon gratefully acknowledge, in his prefence, the kind and effectual support which he gave to his "London," though unacquainted with its authour. POPE, who then filled the poetical throne without a rival, it may reasonably be presumed, must have been particularly ftruck by the fudden appearance of fuch a poet; and, to his credit, let it be remembered, that his feelings and conduct on the occafion were candid and liberal. He requested Mr. Richardfon, fon of the painter, to endeavour to find out who this new authour was. chardson, after fome inquiry, having informed him that he had discovered only that his name was Johnson, and that he was fome obfcure man, Pope faid, "He will foon be deterré." We fhall pre3 P. 269. Mr. Ri 4 Sir Joshua Reynolds, from the information of the younger Richardfon. fently fently fee, from a note written by Pope, that he was himself afterwards more fuccessful in his enquiries than his friend. That in this justly-celebrated poem may be found a few rhymes which the critical precision of English profody at this day would difallow, cannot be denied; but with this fmall imperfection, which in the general blaze of its excellence is not perceived, till the mind has fubfided into cool attention, it is, undoubtedly, one of the nobleft productions in our language, both for fentiment and expreffion. The nation was then in that ferment against the court and the miniftry, which fome years after ended in the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole; and as it has been said, that Tories are Whigs when out of place, and Whigs, Tories when in place; fo, as a whig adminiftration ruled with what force it could, a tory opposition had all the animation and all the eloquence of resistance to power, aided by the common topicks of patriotism, liberty, and independence! Accordingly, we find in Johnfon's "London" the most fpirited invectives against tyranny and oppreffion, the warmest predilection for his own country, and the pureft love of virtue; interspersed with traits of his own particular character and situation, not omitting his prejudices as a "true-born Englishman," not only against foreign countries, but 5 It is, however, remarkable, that he uses the epithet, which undoubtedly, fince the union between England and Scotland, ought to denominate the natives of both parts of our island: "Was early taught a BRITON's rights to prize." against 1738. tat. 29. 1738. against Ireland and Scotland. On fome of these Etat. 29. topicks I fhall quote a few paffages: "The cheated nation's happy fav'rites fee; "How, when competitors like these contend, "This mournful truth is every where confefs'd, We may easily conceive with what feeling a great mind like his, cramped and galled by narrow circumftances, uttered this laft line, which he marked by capitals. The whole of the poem is eminently excellent, and there are in it fuch proofs of a knowledge of the world, and of a mature acquaintance with life, as cannot be contemplated without wonder, when we confider that he was then only in his twenty-ninth year, and had yet been fo little in the " bufy haunts of men.” Yet, while we admire the poetical excellence of this poem, candour obliges us to allow, that the flame of patriotism and zeal for popular resistance with which it is fraught, had no juft caufe. There was, in truth, no "oppreffion;" the "nation" was was not "cheated." Sir Robert Walpole was a wife and a benevolent minifter, who thought that the happiness and profperity of a commercial country like ours, would be best promoted by peace, which he accordingly maintained, with credit, during a very long period. Johnson himfelf afterwards honestly acknowledged the merit of Walpole, whom he called "a fixed ftar;" while he characterised his opponent, Pitt, as "a meteor." But Johnfon's juvenile poem was naturally impregnated with the fire of oppofition, and upon every account was univerfally admired. Though thus elevated into fame, and conscious of uncommon powers, he had not that bustling confidence, or, I may rather fay, that animated ambition, which one might have supposed would have urged him to endeavour at rifing in life. But fuch was his inflexible dignity of character, that he could not ftoop to court the great; without which, hardly any man has made his way to à high station. He could not expect to produce many fuch works as his "LONDON," and he felt the hardships of writing for bread; he was, therefore, willing to refume the office of a schoolmaster, fo as to have a fure, though moderate income for his life; and an offer being made to him of a school in Staffordshire', provided he could obtain the • In a billet written by Mr. Pope in the following year, this school is faid to have been in Shropshire; but as it appears from a letter from Earl Gower, that the truftees of it were "fome worthy gentlemen in Johnson's neighbourhood," I in my first edition fuggefted that Pope must have, by mistake, writ ten Shropshire instead of Staffordshire. But I have fince been obliged 1738. Atat. 29. |