ÆTAT. 61. MAXWELL'S COLLECTANEA. 59 fard, a clergyman; but the poem in which they are introduced has hitherto been undis covered : "Verse sweetens toil, however rude the sound: All at her work the village maiden sings; In the autumn of 1782, when he was at Brighthelmstone, he frequently accompanied Mr. Philip Metcalfe in his chaise, to take the air; and the conversation in one of their excursions happening to turn on a celebrated historian*, since deceased, he repeated, with great preci. sion, some verses, as very characteristic of that gentleman. These furnish another proof of what has been above observed; for they are found in a very obscure quarter, among some anonymous poems appended to the second volume of a collection frequently printed by Lin. tot, under the title of "Pope's Miscellanies:" "See how the wand'ring Danube flows, Realms and religious parting; A friend to all true Christion foes, "Now Protestant, and Papist now, "Thus many a youth I've known set out, And rambling long the world about, Turn infidel or atheist." In reciting these verses, I have no doubt that Johnson substituted some word for infidel m the second stanza, to avoid the disagreeable repetition of the same expression —MALONE. No doubt Gibbon. CHAPTER IV. 1771. ́ ́Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland's Islands "-Lord George Grenvills -Junius-Design of bringing Johnson into Parliament-Mr. Strahan-Lord North-Mr. Flood-Boswell's Marriage-Visit to Lichfield and Ashbourne-Dr. Beattie-Lord Monboddo -St. Kilda-Scots Church-Second Sight-The Thirty-nine Articles-Thirtieth of JanuaryRoyal Marriage Act-Old Families-Mimickry-Foote-Mr. Peyton Origin of LanguagesIrish and Gaelic-Flogging at Schools-Lord Mansfield-Sir Gilbert Elliot. IN 1771 he published another political pamphlet, entitled "Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland's Islands," in which, upon materials furnished to him by ministry, and upon general topics, expanded in his rich style, he successfully endeavoured to persuade the nation that it was wise and laudable to suffer the question of right to remain undecided, rather than involve our country in another war. It has been suggested by some, with what truth I shall not take upon me to decide, that he rated the cousequence of those islands to Great Britain too low. But however this may be, every humane mind must surely applaud the earnestness with which he averted the calamity of war; a calamity so dreadful, that it is astonishing how civilized, nay, Christian nations, can deliberately continue to renew it. His description of its miseries, in this pamphlet, is one of the finest pieces of eloquence in the English language. Upon this occasion, too, we find Johnson lashing the party in opposition with unbounded severity, and making the fullest use of what he ever reckoned a most effectual argumentative instrument-contempt. His character of their very able mysterious champion, Junius, is executed with all the force of his genius, and finished with the highest care. He seems to have exulted in sallying forth to single combat against the boasted and formidable hero, who bade defiance to "principalities and powers, and the rulers of this world." " He often delighted his imagination with the thoughts of having destroyed Junius, ÆTAT. 62. POLITICAL PAMPHLETS. 61 This pamphlet, it is observable, was softened in one particular, after the first edition; for the conclusion of Mr. George Grenville's character stood thus; "Let him not, however, be depreciated in his grave. He had powers not universally possessed: could he have enforced payment of the Manilla ransom he could have counted it." Which, instead of retaining its sly sharp point, was reduced to a mere flat unmeaning expression, or, if I may use the word,-truism: "He had powers not universally possessed: and if he sometimes erred, he was likewise sometimes right." LETTER 128. TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. March 20, 1771. "DEAR SIR,—After much lingering of my own, and much of the ministry, I have, at length, got out my paper. But delay is not yet at an end. Not many had been dispersed, before Lord North ordered the sale to stop. His reasons I do not distinctly know. You may try to find them in the perusal. Before his order, a sufficient number were dispersed to do all the mischief, though, perhaps, not to make all the sport that might be expected from it. "Soon after your departure, I had the pleasure of finding all the danger past with which your navigation was threatened. I hope nothing happens at home to abate your satisfaction; but that Lady Rothes', and Mrs. Langton and the young ladies, are all well. "I was last night at the Club. Dr. Percy has written a long ballad in many fits; it is pretty enough. He has printed, and will soon publish it. Goldsmith is at Bath, with Lord Clare." At Mr. Thrale's, where I am now writing, all are well. I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON." Mr. Strahan, the printer, who had long been in intimacy with day I had received a remarkably fine Stilton cheese as a present from some person who had packed and directed it carefully, but without mentioning whence it came. Mr. Thrale, desirous to know who they were obliged to, asked every friend as they came in, but nobody owned it. 66 Depend upon it, Sir," says Johnson, "it was sent by Junius."—Piozzi. 1 Mr. Langton married, May 24, 1770, Jane Lloyd, widow of John, eighth Earl of Rothes, who died in 1767.-M. 2 Robert Nugent, an Irish gentleman, who married the sister and heiress of Secretary Craggs. He was created, in 1767, Baron Nugent and Viscount Clare, and in 1777, Earl Nugent. His only daughter married the first Marquis of Buckingham, on whose second son the title of Baron Nugent devolved. Lord Nugent wrote some odes and light pieces, which had some merit and a great vogue. He died in 1788. One evening, in the oratorio season of 1771, Mr. Johnson went with me to Covent Garden; and though he was for the most part an exceeding bad playhouse companion, as his person drew people's eyes upon the box, and the loudness of his voice made it difficult to hear anybody hut himself, he sat surprisingly quiet, and I flattered myself that he was listening to the music Johnson, in the course of his literary labours, who was at once his friendly agent in receiving his pension for him, and his banker in supplying him with money when he wanted it; who was himself now a member of parliament, and who loved much to be employed in political negotiation; thought he should do eminent service, both to government and Johnson, if he could be the means of his getting a seat in the House of Commons. With this view, he wrote a letter to one of the Secretaries of the Treasury,' of which he gave me a copy in his own handwriting, which is as follows: "New Street, Ma ch 30, 1771. "SIR,-You will easily recollect, when I had the honour of waiting upon you some time ago, I took the liberty to observe to you, that Dr. Johnson would make an excellent figure in the House of Commons, and heartily wished he haŭ a seat there. My reasons are briefly these: "I know his perfect good affection to his Majesty and his government, which I am certain he wishes to support by every means in his power. "He possesses a great share of manly, nervous, and ready eloquence; is quick in discerning the strength and weakness of an argument; can express himself with clearness and precision, and fears the face of no man alive. When we got home, however, he repeated these verses, which he said he had made at the oratorio: IN THEATRO. Tertii verso quater orbe lustri, Quid theatrales tibi, Crispe, pompæ ! Quam decet canos male litteratos Sera voluptas! Tene mulceri fidibus canoris? Tene cantorum modulis stupere? Tene per pictas, oculo elegante, Currere formas ? Inter equales, sine felle liber, Codices, veri studiosus, inter, Rectius vives: sua quisque carpat Gaudia gratus. Lusibus gaudet puer otiosis, Luxus oblectat juvenem theatri, At seni, fluxo sapienter uti Tempore restat.-PIOZZI. • The secretaries of the treasury, at this time, were Sir Grey Cooper and James West, Esq.-C. ETAT. 62. PARLIAMENT. 63 "His known character, as a man of extraordinary sense and unimpeached virtue, would secure him the attention of the House, and could not fail to give him a proper weight there. "He is capable of the greatest application, and can undergo any degree of labour, where he sees it necessary, and where his heart and affections are strongly engaged. His Majesty's ministers might therefore securely depend on his doing, upon every proper occasion, the utmost that could be expected from him. They would find him ready to vindicate such measures as tended to promote the stability of government, and resolute and steady in carrying them into execution. Nor is anything to be apprehended from the supposed impetuosity of his temper. To the friends of the king you will find him a lamb, to his enemies a lion. "For these reasons, I humbly apprehend that he would be a very able and useful member. And I will venture to say, the employment would not be disagreeable to him; and knowing, as I do, his strong affection to the king, his ability to serve him in that capacity, and the extreme ardour with which I am convinced he would engage in that service, I must repeat, that I wish most heartily to see him in the House. "If you think this worthy of attention, you will be pleased to take a convenient opportunity of mentioning it to Lord North. If his lordship should happily approve of it, I shall have the satisfaction of having been, in some degree, the humble instrument of doing my country, in my opinion, a very essential service. I know your good-nature, and your zeal for the public welfare, will plead my excuse for giving you this trouble. I am, with the greatest respect, Sir, your most obedient and humble servant, "WILLIAM STRAHAN." This recommendation, we know, was not effectual; but how, or for what reason, can only be conjectured.' It is not to be believed that Mr. Strahan would have applied, unless Johnson had approved of it. I never heard him mention the subject; but at a later period of his life, when Sir Joshua Reynolds told him that Mr. Edmund Burke had said, that if he had come early into parlia ment, he certainly would have been the greatest speaker that ever was there, Johnson exclaimed, "I should like to try my hand now," It has been much agitated among his friends and others, whether 1 Lord Stowell has told me, that it was understood amongst Johnson's friends that “Lord North was afraid that Johnson's help (as he himself said of Lord Chesterfield's) might have been sometimes embarrassing.” "He perhaps thought, and not unreasonably,' added Lord Stowell, "that like the elephant in the battle, he was quite as likely to trample dowa his friends as his foes."-C. |