SIR, "Mr. Samuel Johnfon (author of London, "a fatire, and fome other poetical pieces) is a "native of this county, and much refpected 66 by fome worthy gentlemen in the neigh"bourhood, who are truftees of a charity"school, now vacant; the certain falary of "which is fixty pounds per year, of which "they are defirous to make him master; but "unfortunately he is not capable of receiving "their bounty, which would make him happy "for life, by not being a mafter of arts, "which, by the ftatutes of the school, the "mafter of it must be. "Now thefe gentlemen do me the honour to "think, that I have intereft enough in you, "to prevail upon you to write to Dean Swift, "to perfuade the Univerfity of Dublin to fend "a diploma to me, conftituting this poor man "mafter of arts in their Univerfity. They "highly extol the man's learning and probity; "and will not be perfuaded, that the University "will make any difficulty of conferring fuch "a favour upon a ftranger, if he is recom"mended by the Dean. They fay, he is not "afraid "afraid of the ftricteft examination, though "he is of fo long a journey; and yet he will "venture it, if the Dean thinks it neceffary, "chufing rather to die upon the road, than to "be starved to death in tranflating for book"fellers, which has been his only fubfiftence "for fome time past. "I fear there is more difficulty in this affair "than thefe good-natured gentlemen appre"hend, efpecially as their election cannot "be delayed longer than the 11th of next "month. If you fee this matter in the fame light that it appears to me, I hope you will "burn this, and pardon me for giving you fo "much trouble about an impracticable thing; "but, if you think there is a probability of obtaining the favour asked, I am sure your "humanity and propenfity to relieve merit in "diftrefs will incline you to serve the poor "man, without my adding any more to the "trouble I have already given you, than affur"ing you, that I am, with great truth, Sir, "Your faithful humble fervant, "Trentham, Aug. 1ft." c 3 "GOWER. This This scheme mifcarried. There is reason to think, that Swift declined to meddle in the business; and to that circumstance Johnson's known diflike of Swift has been often imputed. It is mortifying to purfue a man of merit through all his difficulties; and yet this narrative must be, through many following years, the history of Genius and Virtue struggling with Adverfity. Having loft the school at Appleby, Johnson was thrown back on the metropolis. Bred to no profeffion, without relations, friends, or intereft, he was condemned to drudgery in the fervice of Cave, his only patron. In November 1738 was published a tranflation of Croufaz's Examen of Pope's Effay on Man; "containing a fuccinct "View of the System of the Fatalists, and a "Confutation of their Opinions; with an "Illuftration of the Doctrine of Free Will; 66 and an Enquiry, what view Mr. Pope might "have in touching upon the Leibnitzian Philofophy, and Fatalifin. By Mr. Croufaz, "Profeffor of Philosophy and Mathematics at "Laufanne." This tranflation has been generally rally thought a production of Johnson's pen; but it is now known, that Mrs. Elizabeth Carter has acknowledged it to be one of her early performances. It is certain, however, that Johnfon was eager to promote the publication. He confidered the foreign philofopher as a man zealous in the cause of religion; and with him he was willing to join against the fyftem of the Fatalifts, and the doctrine of Leibnitz. It is well known that Warburton wrote a vindication of Mr. Pope; but there is reafon to think, that Johnson conceived an early prejudice against the Effay on Man; and what once took root in a mind like his, was not easily eradicated. His letter to Cave on this fubject is ftill extant, and may well justify Sir John Hawkins, who inferred that Johnson was the tranflator of Croufaz. The conclufion of the letter is remarkable. "I am yours, IMPRANSUS." If by that Latin word was meant that he had not dined, because he wanted the means, who can read it, even at this hour, without an aching heart? With a mind naturally vigorous, and quickened by neceffity, Johnfon formed a multiplicity of projects; but most of them proved abortive. A number of fmall tracts iffued from his pen with wonderful rapidity; fuch "MARMOR NORFOLCIENSE; or an Effay as an ancient prophetical Infcription, in "Monkish Rhyme, difcovered at Lynn in "Norfolk. By Probus Britannicus." This was a pamphlet against Sir Robert Walpole. According to Sir John Hawkins, a warrant was iffued to apprehend the Author, who reretired with his wife to an obscure lodging near Lambeth Marth, and there eluded the fearch of the meffengers. But this story has no foundation in truth. Johnson was never known to mention fuch an incident in his life; and Mr. Steele (late of the Treasury) caused diligent fearch to be made at the proper offices, and no trace of fuch a proceeding could be found. In the same year (1739) the Lord Chamberlain prohibited the representation of a tragedy, called GUSTAVUS VASA, by Henry Brooke. Under the mafk of irony Johnfon published, "A Vindication of the Licencer "from the malicious and fcandalous Afperfions "of Mr. Brooke." Of these two pieces Sir John Hawkins fays," they have neither learn 66 ing nor wit; nor a fingle ray of that ge"nius which has fince blazed forth;" but as they have been lately re-printed, the reader, |