authority; every man his own opinion-his own interest. "Man and wife hardly united;-fcarce ever without children. Computation, if two to one against two, how many against five? If confederacies were easy-ufelefs;-many oppreffes many.-If poffible only to fome, dangerous. Principum amicitias." Here we see the embryo of No. 45 of the Adventurer; and it is a confirmation of what I have mentioned, that the papers in that collection marked T. were written by Johnson. This fcanty preparation of materials will not, however, much diminish our wonder at the extraordinary fertility of his mind; for the proportion which they bear to the number of effays which he wrote, is very fmall; and it is remarkable, that thofe for which he had made no preparation, are as rich and as highly finished, as those for which the hints were lying by him. It is alfo to be obferved, that the papers formed from his hints are worked up with fuch strength and elegance, that we almost lofe fight of the hints, which become like "drops in the bucket." Indeed, in feveral inftances, he has made a very flender use of them, fo that many of them remain ftill unapplied". As 1750. Etat. 41. Sir John Hawkins has felected from this little collection of materials, what he calls the "Rudiments of two of the papers of the Rambler." But he has not been able to read the manufcript diftin&ly. Thus he writes, p. 266, "Sailors fate any manfion;" whereas the original is "Sailor's life my averfion.” He has also transcribed the unappropriated hints on Writers for bread, 1750. Etat. 41. As the Rambler was entirely the work of one man, there was, of course, fuch a uniformity in its texture, as very much to exclude the charm of variety; and the grave and often folemn caft of thinking, which distinguished it from other periodical papers, made it, for fome time, not generally liked. So flowly did this excellent work, of which twelve editions have now iffued from the prefs, gain upon the world at large, that even in the clofing number the authour fays, "I have never been much a favourite of the publick." Yet, very foon after its commencement, there were who felt and acknowledged its uncommon excellence. Verfes in its praise appeared in the news-papers; and the editor of the Gentleman's Magazine mentions, in October, his having received feveral letters to the fame purpose from the learned. "The Student, or Oxford and Cambridge Mifcellany," in which Mr. Bonnell Thornton and Mr. Colman were the principal writers, describes it as "a work that exceeds any thing of the kind ever published in this kingdom, fome of the Spectators excepted, if indeed they may be excepted." And afterwards, " May the in which he decyphers thefe notable paffages, one in Latin, fatui non fama, instead of fami non fame; Johnfon having in his mind what Thuanus fays of the learned German antiquary and linguist, Xylander, who, he tells us, lived in fuch poverty, that he was supposed fami non famæ fcribere; and another in French, Degenté de fate et affamé d'argent, instead of Degouté de fame, (an old word for renommé) et affamé d'argent. The manufcript being written in an exceedingly fmall hand, is indeed very hard to read; but it would have been better to have left blanks than to write nonfenfe. publick 1750. publick favours crown his merits, and may not the English, under the aufpicious reign of GEORGE Etat. the Second, neglect a man, who, had he lived in the first century, would have been one of the greatest favourites of AUGUSTUS." This flattery of the monarch had no effect. It is too well known, that the fecond George never was an Auguftus to learning or genius. Johnfon told me, with an amiable fondnefs, a little pleafing circumftance relative to this work. Mrs. Johnson, in whofe judgement and taste he had great confidence, faid to him, after a few numbers of the Rambler had come out, "I thought very well of you before; but I did not imagine you could have written any thing equal to this." Diftant praise, from whatever quarter, is not so delightful as that of a wife whom a man loves and esteems. Her approbation may be faid to "come home to his bofom;" and being so near, its effect is moft fenfible and permanent. Mr. James Elphinston, who has fince published various works, and who was ever efteemed by Johnfon as a worthy man, happened to be in Scotland while the Rambler was coming out in fingle papers at London. With a laudable zeal at once for the improvement of his countrymen, and the reputation of his friend, he fuggefted and took the charge of an edition of those Effays at Edinburgh, which which followed progreffively the London publication. The It was executed in the printing-office of Sands, Murray, and Cochran, with uncommon elegance, upon writing paper, of 41. The following letter written at this time, though not dated, will show how much pleased Johnson was with this publication, and what kindness and regard he had for Mr. Elphinston. To Mr. JAMES ELPHINSTON. "DEAR SIR, [No date.] "I CANNOT but confefs the failures of my correfpondence, but hope the fame regard which you exprefs for me on every other occafion, will incline you to forgive me. I am often, very often, ill; and, when I am well, am obliged to work; and, indeed, have never much used myself to punctuality. You are, however, not to make unkind inferences, when I forbear to reply to your kindness; for be affured, I never receive a letter from you without great pleasure, and a very warm fenfe of your generofity and friendship, which I heartily blame myself for not cultivating with more care. In this, as in many other cafes, I go wrong, in oppofition to conviction; for I think scarce any temporal good equally to be defired with the regard and familiarity of worthy men. I hope we shall be fome time nearer to each other, and have a more ready way of pouring out our hearts. "I am glad that you ftill find encouragement to proceed in your publication, and fhall beg the of a duodecimo fize, and with the greatest correctness; and Mr. favour 1750. favour of fix more volumes to add to my former fix, when you can, with any convenience, fend Atat. 41, them me. Please to prefent a fet, in my name, to Mr. Ruddiman', of whom, I hear, that his learning is not his higheft excellence. I have tranfcribed the mottos, and returned them, I hope not too late, of which I think many very happily performed. Mr. Cave has put the last in the magazine, in which I think he did well. I beg of you to write foon, and to write often, and to write long letters, which I hope in time to repay you; but you must be a patient creditor. I have, however, this of gratitude, that I think of you with regard, when I do not, perhaps, give the proofs which I ought, of being, Sir, "Your most obliged and "Most humble fervant, "SAM. JOHNSON." This year he wrote to the fame gentleman ano, ther letter, upon a mournful occcafion. To Mr. JAMES ELPHINSTON; "DEAR SIR, September 25, 1750. "YOU have, as I find by every kind of evidence, loft an excellent mother; and I hope you will not think me incapable of partaking of your grief, I have a mother, now eighty-two 4 Mr. Thomas Ruddiman, the learned grammarian of Scotland, well known for his various excellent works, and for his accurate editions of several authours. He was also a man of a moft worthy private character. His zeal for the Royal House of Stuart did not render him less eftimable in Dr. Johnfon's eye. years |