he would have been a powerful speaker in parliament, had he been brought in when advanced in life. I am inclined to think, that his extensive knowledge, his quickness and force of mind, his vivacity and richness of expression, his wit and humour, and above all, his poignancy of sarcasm, would have had great effect in a popular -assembly; and that the magnitude of his figure, and striking peculiarity of his manner, would have aided the effect. But I remember it was observed by Mr. Flood, that Johnson, having been long used to sententious brevity, and the short flights of conversation, might have failed in that continued and expanded kind of argument, which is requisite in stating complicated matters in public speaking; and, as a proof of this, he mentioned the supposed speeches in parliament written by him for the magazine, none of which, in his opinion, were at all like real debates. The opinion of one who was himself so eminent an orator, must be allowed to have great weight. It was confirmed by Sir William Scott [Lord Stowell], who mentioned, that Johnson had told him, that he had several times tried to speak in the society of Arts and Sciences, but "had found he could not get on." From Mr. William Gerard Hamilton I have heard, that Johnson, when observing to him that it was prudent for a man who had not been accustomed to speak in public, to begin his speech in as simple a manner as possible, acknowledged that he rose in that society to deliver a speech which he had prepared; "but," said he, "all my flowers of oratory forsook me." I however cannot help wishing, that he had "tried his hand" in Parliament; and I wonder that ministry did not make the experiment." 91 1 Dr. Kippis, however (Biog Brit. art. "J. Gilbert Cooper," p. 266, n new edit.), says, that he "once heard Dr. Johnson speak in the Society of Arts and Manufactures, upon a subject relative to mechanics, with a propriety, perspicuity, and energy, which excited general admiration."-M. 2 The publication of Johnson's political tracts exhibited him to the world in a new character; he ceased now to be considered as one who, having been more conversant with books than with men, knew little of active life, the views of parties, or the artifices of designing men: on the contrary, they discovered that he had, by the force of his own genius, and the observations he had made on the history of our own and other countries, attained to such skill in the grand leading principles of political science, as are seldom acquired by those in the most active and important stations, even after long experience; and that, whatever opinions he might have formed on this subject, he had ability by strong reasoning to defend, and by a manly and convincing eloquence to enforce. Mr. Thrale, a man of slow conceptions, but of a sound judgment, was not one of the last that discerned in his friend this talent, and believing that the exercise of it might redound to the benefit of the public, entertained a STAT 62. LETTER 130. TO MISS LANGTON. 65 "London, April 17, 1771. "MADAM,—If I could have flattered myself that my letters could have given pleasure, or have alleviated pain, I should not have omitted to write to a lady to whom I do sincerely wish every increase of pleasure, and every mitigation of uneasiness. I knew, dear madam. that a very heavy affliction had fallen upon you; but it was one of those which the established course of nature makes necessary, and to which kind words give no relief. Success is, on these occasions, to be expected only from time. Your censure of me, as deficient in friendship, is therefore too severe. I have neither been unfriendly, nor intentionally uncivil. The notice with which you have honoured me, I have neither forgotten, nor remembered without pleasure. The calamity of ill health, your brother will tell you that I have had, since I saw you, sufficient reason to know and to pity. But this is another evil against which we can receive little help from one another. I can only advise you, and I advise you with great earnestness, to do nothing that may hurt you, and to reject nothing that may do you good. To preserve health is a moral and religious duty: for health is the basis of all social virtues; we can be useful no longer than while we are well. "If the family knows that you receive this letter, you will be pleased to make my compliments. I flatter myself with the hopes of seeing Langton after Lady Rothes's recovery; and then I hope that you and I shall renew our conferences, and that I shall find you willing as formerly to talk and to hear; and shall be again admitted to the honour of being, madam, your most obedient and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." 1 at length renewed a correspondence which had been too long discontinued : LETTER 131. TO DR. JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, April 18, 1771. "MY DEAR SIR,-I can now fully understand those intervals of silence in your correspondence with me, which have often given me anxiety and uneasiness; for although I am conscious that my veneration and love for Mr. Johnson have never in the least abated, yet I have deferred for almost a year and a half to write to him." design of bringing Johnson into parliament. We must suppose that he had previously deter mined to furnish him with a legal qualification, and Johnson, it is certain, was willing to accept the trust. Mr. Thrale had two meetings with the minister, who, at first, seemed inclined to find him a seat; but, whether upon conversation he doubted his fitness for his purpose, or that be thought himself in no need of his assistance, the project failed. Johnson was a little soured at this disappointment: he spoke of Lord North in terms of severity -HAWKINS. In the subsequent part of this letter, I gave him an account of my comfortable life as a married man,' and a lawyer in practice at the Scotch bar; invited him to Scotland, and promised to attend him to the Highlands and Hebrides. LETTER 132. TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "London, June 20, 1771. "DEAR SIR,-If you are now able to comprehend that I migh neglect to write without diminution of affection, you have taught me, likewise, how that neglect may be uneasily felt without resentment. I wished for your letter a long time, and when it came, it amply recompensed the delay. I never was so much pleased as now with your account of yourself; and sincerely hope, that between public business, improving studies, and domestic pleasures, neither melancholy nor caprice will find any place for entrance. Whatever philosophy may determine of material nature, it is certainly true of intellectual nature that it abhors a vacuum: our minds cannot be empty; and evil will break in upon them, if they are not preoccupied by good. My dear Sir, mind your ndies, mind your business, make your lady happy, and be a good Christian. After this, tristitiam et metus • Trades protervis in mare Creticum "If we perform our duty, we shall be safe and steady, 'Sive per,' &c. whether we climb the Highlands, or are tost among the Hebrides; and I hope the time will come when we may try our powers both with cliffs and water. I see but little of Lord Elibank, I know not why; perhaps by my own fault. I am this day going into Staffordshire and Derbyshire for six weeks. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate, and most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON." "Lichfield, June 22, 1771. "Last night I came safe to Lichfield; this day I was visited by Mrs. Cobb. This afternoon I went to Mrs. Ashton, where I found Miss T[urton], and waited on her home. Miss T[urton] wears spectacles, and can hardly climʊ the stiles. I was not tired at all, either last night or to-day. Miss Porter is very kind to me. Her dog and cats are all well. 1 Mr. Boswell had married, in November, 1769, Miss Margaret Montgomerie, of the family of the Montgomeries of Lainshawe, who were baronets, and claimed the peerage of Lyle. Dr. Johnson says of this lady to Mrs Thrale, in a letter from Auchinleck, August 28, 1778 — "Mrs. B. has the mien and manner of a gentlewoman, and such a person and mind as woula not in any place either be admired or condemned. She is in a proper degree inferior to her husband she cannot rival him nor can he ever be ashamed of her."-C. 2 Patrick Murray, fifth Lord Elibank. He died in 1778.-C. ETAT. 62 BEATTIE. 67. "Ashbourne, July 8, 1771. "Last Saturday I came to Ashbourne-Ashbourne in the Peak. Let not the barren name of the Peak terrify you; I have never wanted strawberries and cream. The great bull has no disease but age. I hope in time to be like the great bull; and hope you will be like him too a hundred years hence. "shbourne, Ju y 7, 1771. "Poor Dr. Taylor is ill, and under my government: you know that the act of government is learned by obedience; I hope I can govern very tolerably. The old rheumatism is come again into my face and mouth, but nothing yet to the lumbago: however, having so long thought it gone, I do not like its Miss Porter was much pleased to be mentioned in your letter, and is sure that I have spoken better of her than she deserved. She holds that both Frank and his master are much improved. The master, she says, is not half so lounging and untidy as he was; there was no such thing last year as getting him off his chair. return. "Ashbourne, July 8, 1771. "Dr. Taylor is better, and is gone out in the chaise. My rheumatism is better too. I would have been glad to go to Hagley, in compliance with Mr. Lyttleton's kind invitation, for, beside the pleasure of his company, I should have had the opportunity of recollecting past times, and wandering per montes notos et flumina nota, of recalling the images of sixteen, and reviewing my conversations with poor Ford.' But this year will not bring this gratification within my power. I promised Taylor a month. Everything is done here to pase me; and his health is a strong reason against desertion." LETTER 134. TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. In Leicester Fields. "Ashbourne, July 17, 1771. "DEAR SIR,-When I came to Lichfield, I found that my portrait had Deen much visited, and much admired. Every man has a lurking wish to ap. pear considerable in his native place; and I was pleased with the dignity conferred by such a testimony of your regard. "Be pleased, therefore, to accept the thanks of, Sir, your most obliged, and most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON." "Compliments to Miss Reynolds." LETTER 135. TO DR. JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, July 27, 1771. "MY DEAR SIR,-The bearer of this, Mr. Beattie, professor of moral philoso 1 Cornelius Ford, his mother's nephew.-Piozzi, The second portrait of Johnson, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds; with his arms raised and his hands bent. It was at this time, it is believed, in the possession of Miss Lucy Porter.-M. ŋhy at Aberdeen, is desirous of being introduced to your acquaintance. His genius and learning, and labours in the service of virtue and religion, render him very worthy of it; and as he has a high estcem of your character, I hope you will give him a favourable reception. I ever am, &c., "JAMES BOSWELL." LETTER 136. TO MRS. THRALE. "Lichfield, Saturday, Aug. 8, 1771. Having stayed my month with Taylor, I came away on Wednesday, leav ing him, I think, in a disposition of mind not very uncommon, at once weary of my stay, and grieved at my departure. My purpose was to have made haste to you and Streatham; and who would have expected that I should have been stopped by Lucy? Hearing me give Francis orders to take in places, she told me that I should not go till after next week. I thought it proper to comply; for I was pleased to find that I could please, and proud of showing you that I do not come an universal outcast. Lucy is likewise a very peremptory maiden; and if I had gone without permission, I am not very sure that I might have been welcome at another time." LETTER 137. TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. At Langton. "August 29, 1771. "DEAR SIR, I am lately returned from Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The last letter mentions two others which you have written to me since you received my pamphlet. Of these two I never had but one, in which you mentioned a design of visiting Scotland, and, by consequence, put my journey to Langton out of my thoughts. My summer wanderings are now over, and I am engaging in a very great work, the revision of my Dictionary; from which I know not, at present, how to get loose. If you have observed, or been told, any errors or omissions, you will do me a great favour by letting me know them. Lady Rothes. I find, has disappointed you and herself. Ladies will have these tricks. The Queen and Mrs. Thrale, both ladies of experience, yet both missed their reckoning this summer. I hope a few months will recompense your uneasiness. 66 Please to teli Lady Rothes how highly I value the honour of her invitation, which it is my purpose to obey as soon as I have disengaged myself. In the meantime I shall hope to hear often of her ladyship, and every day better news and better, till I hear that you have both the happiness, which to both is very sincerely wished by, Sir, your most affectionate, and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." In October I again wrote to him, thanking him for his last letter, and his obliging reception of Mr. Beattie; informing him that I had |