1733

fo happy an union of force, vivacity, and perspicuity. I have perused the book with this view, Etat. 24. and have found that here, as I believe in every other translation, there is in the work itself no veftige of the tranflator's own style; for the language of translation being adapted to the thoughts of another perfon, infenfibly follows their caft, and, as it were, runs into a mould that is ready prepared.

Thus, for instance, taking the first sentence. that occurs at the opening of the book, p. 4"I lived here above a year, and completed my studies in divinity; in which time fome letters were received from the fathers of Ethiopia, with an account that Sultan Segned, Emperour of Abyffinia, was converted to the church of Rome; that many of his fubjects had followed his example, and that there was a great want of miffionaries to improve these profperous beginnings. Every body was very defirous of feconding the zeal of our fathers, and of sending them the affiftance they requested; to which we were the more encouraged, because the Emperour's letter informed our Provincial, that we might easily enter his dominions by the way of Dancala; but, unhappily, the fecretary wrote Geila for Dancala, which coft two of our fathers their lives." Every one acquainted with Johnfon's manner will be fenfible that there is nothing of it here, but that this fentence might have been composed by any other

man.

But, in the Preface, the Johnsonian style begins to appear; and though ufe had not yet taught his

1733.

Etat. 24.

wing a permanent and equable flight, there are parts of it which exhibit his best manner in full vigour. I had once the pleasure of examining it with Mr. Edmund Burke, who confirmed me in this opinion, by his fuperiour critical fagacity, and was, I remember, much delighted with the following fpecimen :

"The Portuguese traveller, contrary to the general vein of his countrymen, has amufed his reader with no romantick abfurdity, or incredible fictions; whatever he relates, whether true or not, is at least probable; and he who tells nothing exceeding the bounds of probability, has a right to demand that they should believe him who cannot contradict him.

"He appears, by his modeft and unaffected narration, to have described things as he saw them, to have copied nature from the life, and to have confulted his fenfes, not his imagination. He meets with no bafilifks that deftroy with their eyes, his crocodiles devour their prey without

tears, and his cataracts fall from the rocks without deafening the neighbouring inhabitants.

"The reader will here find no regions curfed with irremediable barrennefs, or bleffed with fpontaneous fecundity; no perpetual gloom, or un. ceafing funfhine; nor are the nations here defcribed either devoid of all fenfe of humanity, or confummate in all private or focial virtues. Here are no Hottentots without religious polity or articulate language; no Chinese perfectly polite, and completely fkilled in all fciences; he will difcover, what will always be difcovered by a diligent and

impartial

impartial enquirer, that wherever human nature is to be found, there is a mixture of vice and virtue, a contest of paffion and reason; and that the Creator doth not appear partial in his diftributions, but has balanced, in most countries, their particular inconveniencies by particular favours."

Here we have an early example of that brilliant and energetick expreffion, which, upon innumerable occafions in his fubfequent life, juftly impreffed the world with the highest admiration.

Nor can any one, converfant with the writings of Johnson, fail to difcern his hand in this passage of the Dedication to John Warren, Efq. of Pembrokeshire, though it is afcribed to Warren the bookfeller. "A generous and elevated mind is diftinguished by nothing more certainly than an eminent degree of curiofity; nor is that curiofity ever more agreeably or usefully employed, than in examining the laws and cuftoms of foreign nations. I hope, therefore, the prefent I now presume to make, will not be thought improper; which, however, it is not my business as a dedicator to commend, nor as a bookfeller to depreciate."

1734

Atat. 25.

It is reasonable to fuppofe, that his having been thus accidentally led to a particular study of the history and manners of Abyffinia, was the remote occafion of his writing, many years afterwards, his admirable philofophical tale, the principal scene of which is laid in that country.

Johnson returned to Lichfield early in 1734, and in Auguft that year he made an attempt to procure fome little fubfiftence by his pen; for he publifhed proposals for printing by fubfcription the *See RAMBLER, No. 103. F

Vol. I.

Latin

1734.

Etat. 25.

Latin Poems of Politian : "Angeli Politiani Poemata Latina, quibus, Notas cum hiftoria Latine poefeos, à Petrarcha evo ad Politiani tempora deductâ, et vitá Politiani fufius quam antebac enarrata, addidit SAM. JOHNSON*."

It appears that his brother Nathanael had taken up his father's trade; for it is mentioned that "fubfcriptions are taken in by the Editor, or N. Johnfon, bookfeller, of Lichfield." Notwithftanding the merit of Johnson, and the cheap price at which this tranflation, with its accompanyments, was offered, there were not fubfcribers enough to infure a fufficient fale; fo the work never appeared, and, probably, never was executed.

We find him again this year at Birmingham, and there is preserved the following letter from him to Mr. Edward Cave', the original compiler and editor of the Gentleman's Magazine :

"SR,

To Mr. CAVE.

Nov. 25, 1734.

"AS you appear no lefs fenfible than your readers of the defects of your poetical article, you

The book was to contain more than thirty fheets, the price to be two fhillings and fixpence at the time of fubfcribing, and two fhillings and fixpence at the delivery of a perfect book in quires.

1

Mifs Cave, the grand-niece of Mr. Edward Cave, has obligingly shown me the originals of this and the other letters of Dr. Johnson, to him, which were first published in the Gentleman's Magazine, with notes by Mr. John Nichols, the worthy and indefatigable editor of that valuable miscellany, figned N; fome of which I fhall occafionally tranfcribe in the courfe of this work.

will not be displeased, if, in order to the improvement of it, I communicate to you the fentiments of a perfon, who will undertake, on reasonable terms, fometimes to fill a column.

1

"His opinion is, that the publick would not give you a bad reception, if, befide the current wit of the month, which a critical examination would generally reduce to a narrow compass, you admitted not only poems, infcriptions, &c. never printed before, which he will fometimes fupply you with; but likewise fhort literary differtations in Latin or English, critical remarks on authours ancient or modern, forgotten poems that deserve revival, or loose pieces, like Floyer's*, worth preferving. By this method, your literary article, for so it might be called, will, he thinks, be better recommended to the publick, than by low jests, aukward buffoonery, or the dull fcurrilities of either party.

2

"If fuch a correfpondence will be agreeable to you, be pleased to inform me in two pofts, what the conditions are on which you fhall expect it. Your late offer gives me no reason to distrust your generofity. If you engage in any literary projects befides this paper, I have other designs to impart, if I could be secure from having others reap the advantage of what I fhould hint.

"Your letter by being directed to S. Smith, to be left at the Castle in Birmingham, Warwickshire, will reach

"Your humble fervant."

• Sir John Floyer's Treatife on Cold Baths. Gent. Mag. 1734. P. 197.

1734.

Etat. 25.

A prize of fifty pounds for the best poem "on Life, Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell." See Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. IV. p. 560. N.

F 2

Mr.