PRINTED FOR G. WALKER, J. AKERMAN, E. EDWARDS, J. HARWOOD,
W. ROBINSONS AND SONS, LIVERPOOL; E. THOMSON, MANCHESTER;
J. NOBLE, HULL; J. WILSON, BERWICK; W. WHYTE AND CO.
EDINBURGH; AND R. GRIFFIN AND CO., GLASGOW.

THE

LIFE

OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D.

ON Saturday, March 31, I called on him, and shewed him as a curiosity which I had discovered, his "Translation of Lobo's Account of Abyssinia," which Sir John Pringle had lent me, it being then little known as one of his works. He said, "Take no notice of it," or "don't talk of it." He seemed to think it beneath him, though done at six-and-twenty. I said to him, "Your style, Sir, is much improved since you tranlated this." He answered with a sort of triumphant smile. "Sir, I hope it is."

On Wednesday, April 3, in the morning I found him very busy putting his books in order, and as they were generally very old ones, clouds of dust were flying around him. He had on a pair of large gloves such as hedgers use. His present appearance put me in mind of

my uncle, Dr. Boswell's description of him, "A robust genius, born to grapple with whole libraries."