"Magister artis ingenique largitor venter," says Persius. He wrote to live, and, luckily for mankind, lived a great many years to write.

297. Strong Liquors.

It never was said of him, that he was overtaken with liquor,— a declaration Bishop Hoadly makes of himself. But he owned, that he drank his bottle at a certain time of life. Like Solomon, who tried so many things for curiosity and delight, he renounced strong liquors; and he might have said, as that king is made to do by Prior,

"I drank, I liked it not; 'twas rage, 'twas noise,

An airy scene of transitory joys.'

298. Rapid Composition.

He asserted, and valued himself upon it, that he wrote the “Life of Savage” in six and thirty hours. In one night he also composed, after finishing an evening in Holborn, his "Hermit of Teneriffe." He sat up a whole night to compose the preface to the "Preceptor."

299. Gesticulations.

Though he seemed to be athletic as Milo himself, and in his younger days performed several feats of activity, he was to the last a convulsionary. He has often stepped aside to let nature do what she would with him. His gestures, which were a degree of St. Vitus's dance, in the street attracted the notice of many -the stare of the vulgar, but the compassion of the better sort. I have often looked another way, as the companions of Peter the Great were used to do, while he was under the short paroxysm. (1)

(1) [See antè, Vol. I. p. 161. and Vol. IV. p. 9.]

300. Conversation.

Though his time seemed to be bespoke, and quite engrossed, his house was always open to all his acquaintance, new and old. His amanuensis has given up his pen, the printer's devil has waited on the stairs for a proof sheet, and the press has often stood still, while his visitors were delighted and instructed. No subject ever came amiss to him. He could transfer his

thoughts from one thing to another with the most accommodating facility. He had the art, for which Locke was famous, of leading people to talk on their favourite subjects, and on what they knew best. By this he acquired a great deal of information. What he once heard he rarely forgot. They gave him their best conversation, and he generally made them pleased with themselves, for endeavouring to please him.

Poet Smart used to relate, "that his first conversation with Johnson was of such variety and length, that it began with poetry and ended at fluxions." He always talked as if he was talking upon oath. He was the wisest person, and had the most knowledge in ready cash, that I ever had the honour to be acquainted with. Johnson's advice was consulted on all occasions. He was known to be a good casuist, and therefore had many cases submitted for his judgment. His conversation, in the judgment of several, was thought to be equal to his correct writings. Perhaps the tongue will throw out more animated expressions than the pen. He said the most common things in the newest manner. He always commanded attention and regard. His person, though unadorned with dress, and even deformed by neglect, made you expect something, and you were hardly ever disappointed. His manner was interesting: the tone of his voice, and the sincerity of his expressions, even when they did not captivate your affections, or carry conviction, prevented contempt. If the line, by Pope,

on his father, can be applied to Johnson, it is characteristic of him, who never swore, nor told a lie. If the first part is not confined to the oath of allegiance (1), it will be useful to insert it:

"Nor dared an oath, nor hazarded a lie."

It must be owned, his countenance, on some occasions, resembled too much the medallic likeness of Magliabechi (2), as exhibited before the printed account of him by Mr. Spence. No man dared to take liberties with him, nor flatly contradict him; for he could repel any attack, having always about him the weapons of ridicule, of wit, and of argument. It must be owned, that some who had the desire to be admitted to him thought him too dogmatical, and as exacting too much homage to his opinions, and came no more. For they said while he presided in his library, surrounded by his admirers, he would, "like Cato, give his little senate laws."

301. Knowledge of Life.

He had great knowledge in the science of human nature, and of the fashions and customs of life, and knew the world well. He had often in his mouth this line of Pope:

"The proper study of mankind is man."

He was desirous of surveying life in all its modes and forms, and in all climates. He once offered to attend his friend Vansittart (3) to India, who was invited there

(1) Mr. Tyers seems to mean that the oath of allegiance is the only justifiable oath; and in allusion, perhaps, to Johnson's political principles, he insinuates, that even that oath he would not have willingly taken. - - C.

(2) Librarian to the Grand Dukes of Florence, and celebrated for vast erudition and extreme slovenliness. He died in 1714, aged 80. - C.

1

(3) Dr. Johnson had some thoughts of going to India with another friend (Mr. Fowke, see ante, Vol. VI. p. 136.); but this proposition as to Mr. Vansittart, is nowhere else, that I have

to make a fortune; but it did not take place. He talked much of travelling into Poland, to observe the life of the Palatines, the account of which struck his curiosity very much.

302. Johnson's Benevolence.

His benevolence to mankind was known to all who knew him. Though so declared a friend to the church of England, and even a friend to the convocation, it assuredly was not in his wish to persecute for speculative notions. He used to say, he had no quarrel with any order of men, unless they disbelieved in revelation and a future state. He would, indeed, have sided with Sacheverell against Daniel Burgess, if he thought the church was in danger. His hand and his heart were always open to charity. The objects under his own roof were only a few of the subjects for relief. ever at the head of subscription in cases of distress. His guinea, as he said of another man of a bountiful disposition, was always ready. He wrote an exhortation to public bounty. He drew up a paper to recommend the French prisoners, in the last war but one, to the English benevolence; which was of service. He implored the hand of benevolence for others, even when he almost seemed a proper object of it himself.

303. Johnson's Eyesight.

He was

His eyesight was not good; but he never wore spectacles; not on account of such a ridiculous vow as Swift made not to use them, but because he was assured they would be of no service to him. He once declared

seen, alluded to. Dr. Vansittart, of Oxford, was a great friend of Johnson's, and it is possible that he may have been invited by his younger brother, Mr. Henry Vansittart, when governor of Bengal, to join him in India; and Dr. Vansittart might perhaps have had some idea of including Johnson in the arrangeC.

ment. —

He saw

that he "never saw the human face divine." better with one eye than the other. (1) Latterly, perhaps, he meant to save his eyes, and did not read so much as he otherwise would.

304. Tour to Italy.—Dr. Brocklesby.— Lord Thurlow. Johnson, in 1783, meditated a tour into Italy or Portugal, for the sake of the climate. But Dr. Brocklesby, his friend and physician, conjured him, by every argument in his power, not to go abroad in the state of his health; but, if he was resolved on the first, and wished for something additional to his income, desired he would permit him to accommodate him out of his fortune with one hundred pounds a year, during his travels. The reply to this generosity was to this effect: "That he would not be obliged to any person's liberality, but to his king's." The continuance of this desire to go abroad occasioned the application for an increase of pension, that is so honourable to those who applied for it, and to the lord chancellor, who gave him leave to draw on his banker for any sum. At last he said, “If I am worse, I cannot go; if I am better, I need not go; but if I continue neither better nor worse, I am as well where I am."

305. Johnson's Death.

Johnson was all his life preparing himself for death: but particularly in the last stage of his asthma and

(1) [" Mr. Tyers informs us" (says a writer in the Gent. Mag. v. liv. p. 998., probably Mr. Steevens), "that Dr. Johnson saw better with one eye than the other, but forbears to account for this unequal ability in his organs of sight. I beg therefore at once to supply his deficiency, and confirm his valuable anecdote, by assuring him his late friend had, for many years, lost one of his eyes, and consequently could only see with its companion. He himself did not recollect the exact period when he became acquainted with this visual defect, which, as it happened through no external violence, might, for some time, have escaped even his own observation."]