pofals for printing by fubfcription, the Latin Poems of Politian, with the History of Latin Poetry, from the Era of Petrarch to the time of Politian; and alfo the Life of Politian, to be added by the Editor, Samuel Johnson. The book to be printed in thirty octavo fheets, price five fhillings. It is to be regretted that this project failed for want of encouragement. Johnfon, it seems, differed from Boileau, Voltaire, and D'Alembert, who have taken upon them to profcribe all modern efforts to write with elegance in a dead language. For a decifion, pronounced in fo high a tone, no good reafon can be affigned. The interefts of learning require, that the diction of Greece and Rome fhould be cultivated with care; and he who can write a language with correctness, will be most likely to understand its idiom, its grammar, and its peculiar graces of ftyle. What man of tafte would willingly forego the pleasure of reading Vida, Fracaftorius, Sannazaro, Strada, and others, down to the late elegant productions of Bishop Lowth? The hiftory which Johnfon proposed to himfelf would, beyond all queftion, have been a valuable addition to the hiftory of letters; but his project failed. His next expedient was to offer his affiftance to Cave, the original projector of the Gentleman's Magazine. For this purpose he fent his propofals in a letter, offering, on reasonable terms, occafionally to fill fome pages with poems and infcriptions never printed before; with fugitive pieces that deserved to be revived, and critical remarks on authors ancient and modern. Cave agreed to retain him as a correfpondent and contributor to the Magazine. What the conditions were cannot now be known; but, certainly, they were not fufficient to hinder Johnson from cafting his eyes about him in queft of other employment. Accordingly, in 1735, he made overtures to the reverend Mr. Budworth, Master of a Grammar-school at Brerewood, in Staffordfhire, to become his affiftant. This propofition did not fucceed. Mr. Budworth appre'hended, that the involuntary motions, to which Johnson's nerves were fubject, might make him an object of ridicule with his fcholars, and, by confequence, leffen their respect for their master. Another mode of advancing himself presented itfelf about this time. Mrs. Porter, the widow of a mercer in Birmingham, 2 admired admired his talents. It is faid that he had about eight hundred pounds; and that fum to a perfon in Johnfon's circumftances was an affluent fortune. A marriage took place; and, to turn his wife's money to the best advantage, he projected the fcheme of an academy for education. Gilbert Walmsley, at that time Register of the Ecclefiaftical Court of the Bishop of Lichfield, was distinguished by his erudition and the politenefs of his manners. He was the friend of Johnson, and, by his weight and influence, endeavoured to promote his intereft. The celebrated Garrick, whofe father, Captain Garrick, lived at Lichfield, was placed in the new feminary of education by that gentleman's advice. Garrick was then about eighteen years old. An acceffion of feven or eight pupils was the most that could be obtained, though notice was given by a public advertisement that at Edial, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, young Gentlemen are boarded and taught the Latin and Greek Languages, by Samuel Johnfon. * See the Gentleman's Magazine for 1736, p. 418. pro The undertaking proved abortive. Johnfon, having now abandoned all hopes of moting his fortune in the country, determined to become an adventurer in the world at large. His young pupil, Garrick, had formed the fame refolution; and, accordingly, in March, 1737, they arrived in London together. Two fuch candidates for fame perhaps never, before that day, entered the metropolis together. Their ftock of money was foon exhaufted. In his vifionary project of an academy Johnson had probably wafted his wife's fubftance; and Garrick's father had little more than his halfpay. The two fellow-travellers had the world before them, and each was to chufe his road to fortune and to fame. They brought with them genius, and powers of mind, peculiarly formed by nature for the different vocations to which each of them felt himself inclined. They acted from the impulfe of young minds, even then meditating great things, and with courage anticipating fuccefs. Their friend Mr. Walmsley, by a letter to the Rev. Mr. Colfon, who, it seems, was a great mathematician, exerted his good offices in their favour. He 66 gave notice of their intended journey. Davy "Garrick," he said, "will be with you next 66 “week; and Johnson, to try his fate with a "tragedy, and to get himself employed in fome "tranflation either from the Latin or French. "Johnfon is a very good scholar and a poet, " and, I have great hopes, will turn out a fine "tragedy-writer. If it should be in your way, I doubt not but you will be ready to "recommend and affift your countrymen." Of Mr. Walmsley's merit, and the excellence of his character, Johnfon has left a beautiful testimonial at the end of the Life of Edward Smith. It is reasonable to conclude, that a mathematician, abforbed in abftract fpeculations, was not able to find a fphere of action for two men who were to be the architects of their own fortune. In three or four years afterwards Garrick came forth with talents that aftonished the publick. He began his career at Goodman's-fields, and there, monftratus fatis Vefpafianus! he chofe a lucrative profeffion, and confequently foon emerged from all his difficulties. Johnfon was left to toil in the humble walks of literature. A tragedy, as appears by Walmfley's letter, was the whole of |