which have the appearance of a short hand, which, 1738. perhaps, Johnson was then trying to learn.

Etat. 29.

"SIR,

To Mr. CAVE.

Wednesday.

"I DID not care to detain your fervant while I wrote an answer to your letter, in which you seem to infinuate that I had promifed more than I am ready to perform. If I have raised your expectations by any thing that may have escaped my memory, I am forry; and if you remind me of it, shall thank you for the favour. If I made fewer alterations than ufual in the Debates, it was only because there appeared, and still appears to be, less need of alteration. The verfes to Lady Firebrace may be had when you please, for you know that such a subject neither deserves much thought, nor requires it.

"The Chinese Stories may be had folded down when you please to fend, in which I do not recollect that you defired any alterations to be made.

"An answer to another query I am very willing to write, and had confulted with you about it last night if there had been time; for I think it the most proper way of inviting fuch a correspondence as may be an advantage to the paper, not a load upon it.

8 They afterwards appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine with this title, "Verfes to Lady Firebrace, at Bury Affizes."

9 Du Halde's Defcription of China was then publishing by Mr. Cave in weekly numbers, whence Johnson was to select pieces for the embellishment of the Magazine. N,

VOL. I.

I

« As

1738.

Etat. 29.

"As to the Prize Verfes, a backwardness to determine their degrees of merit is not peculiar to me. You may, if you please, still have what I can say; but I shall engage with little spirit in an affair, which I fhall hardly end to my own fatisfaction, and certainly not to the fatisfaction of the parties concerned'.

"As to Father Paul, I have not yet been just to my proposal, but have met with impediments, which, I hope, are now at an end; and you find the progress hereafter not fuch as you have a right to expect, you can eafily ftimulate a negligent translator.

if

If any or all of these have contributed to your difcontent, I will endeavour to remove it; and defire you to propose the queftion to which you wifh for an answer.

"I AM pretty much of your opinion, that the Commentary cannot be profecuted with any appearance of fuccefs; for as the names of the authours concerned are of more weight in the performance than its own intrinfick merit, the publick will be foon fatisfied with it. And I think the

The premium of forty pounds propofed for the best poem on

the Divine Attributes is here alluded to. N.

Examen fhould be pufhed forward with the utmost expedition. Thus, This day, &c. An Examen of Mr. Pope's Effay, &c. containing a fuccinct Account of the Philofophy of Mr. Leibnitz on the Syftem of the Fatalifts, with a Confutation of their Opinions, and an Illustration of the Doctrine of Free-will;' [with what else you think proper.]

"It will, above all, be neceffary to take notice, that it is a thing diftinct from the Commentary.

"I was so far from imagining they stood still", that I conceived them to have a good deal beforehand, and therefore was lefs anxious in providing them more. But if ever they stand still on my account, it must doubtlefs be charged to me; and whatever else fhall be reasonable, I fhall not oppose; but beg a suspense of judgment till morning, when I must entreat you to send me a dozen proposals, and you fhall then have copy to fpare. "I am, Sir,

"Your's, impranfus,

"SAM. JOHNSON."

"Pray mufter up the Propofals if you can, or let the boy recall them from the booksellers."

1738.

Etat. 29.

But although he correfponded with Mr. Cave concerning a tranflation of Croufaz's Examen of Pope's Effay on Man, and gave advice as one anxious for its fuccefs, I was long ago convinced by a perufal of the Preface, that this tranflation

2 The Compofitors in Mr. Cave's printing-office, who appear by this letter to have then waited for copy. N.

1738.

Etat. 29.

was erroneously afcribed to him; and I have found this point ascertained, beyond all doubt, by the following article in Dr. Birch's Manufcripts in the British Museum :

"ELISE CARTERE. S. P. D. THOMAS BIRCH. "Verfionem tuam Examinis Croufaziani jam perlegi. Summam ftyli et elegantiam, et in re difficillima proprietatem, admiratus.

"Dabam Novemb. 27° 17383."

Indeed Mrs. Carter has lately acknowledged to Mr. Seward, that he was the tranflator of the Examen.

It is remarkable, that Johnson's last quoted letter to Mr. Cave concludes with a fair confeffion that he had not a dinner; and it is no lefs remarkable, that, though in this ftate of want himself, his benevolent heart was not infenfible to the neceffities of an humble labourer in literature, as appears from the very next letter:

"DEAR SIR,

To Mr. CAVE.

[No date.]

"YOU may remember I have formerly talked with you about a Military Dictionary. The eldest Mr. Macbean, who was with Mr. Chambers, has very good materials for fuch a work, which I have feen, and will do it at a very low rate. I think the terms of War and Navigation might be comprised, with good explanations,

3 Birch MSS. Brit. Brit. Muf. 4323.

4 This Book was published.

în

1739.

in one 8vo. Pica, which he is willing to do for twelve fhillings a sheet, to be made up a guinea at tat. 30.

the second impreffion. If you think on it, I will

with him. I am, Sir,

wait on you with him.

"Your humble fervant,

"SAM. JOHNSON."

"Pray lend me Topfel on Animals.”

I must not omit to mention, that this Mr. Macbean was a native of Scotland.

In the Gentleman's Magazine of this year, Johnfon gave a Life of Father Paul;* and he wrote the Preface to the Volume †, which, though prefixed to it when bound, is always published with the Appendix, and is therefore the last compofition belonging to it. The ability and nice adaptation with which he could draw up a prefatory addrefs, was one of his peculiar excellencies.

It appears too, that he paid a friendly attention. to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter; for, in a letter from Mr. Cave to Dr. Birch, November 28, this year, I find "Mr. Johnfon advises Mifs C. to undertake a tranflation of Boethius de Cons. because there is profe and verfe, and to put her name to it when published." This advice was not followed; probably from an apprehenfion that the work was not fufficiently popular for an extenfive fale. How well Johnson himself could have executed a tranflation of this philofophical poet, we may judge from the following fpecimen which he has given in the Rambler :

Motto to No. 7.