succession of cold to heat; such as in the common road of life cannot be avoided, and against which no precaution can be taken.

"Give Cooper some tickets.

"I am glad you sent for the hock. Mr. Fitzherbert has named it more than once.

"Thank you for saving me from what indeed might have greatly hurt me, had I heard or seen in a paper such a

DR. JOHNSON TO MISS BOOTHBY.

"Of the fallaciousness of hope and the uncertainty of schemes, every day gives some new proof; but it is seldom heeded, till something rather felt than seen awakens attention. This illness, in which I have suffered something, and feared much more, has depressed my confidence and elation; and made me consider all that I had promised myself, as less certain to be attained or "Wednesday, December 31, 1755. enjoyed. I have endeavoured to form resolutions "MY SWEET ANGEL, I have read your of a better life; but I form them weakly, under book, I am afraid you will think without any the consciousness of an external motive. Not great improvement; whether you can read my that I conceive a time of sickness, a time improp-notes, I know not. You ought not to be offended; er for recollection and good purposes, which II am perhaps as sincere as the writer. In all believe diseases and calamities often sent to produce, but because no man can know how little his performance will answer to his promises; and designs are nothing in human eyes till they are realised by execution.

"Continue, my dearest, your prayers for me, that no good resolution may be vain. You think, I believe, better of me than I deserve. I hope to be in time what I wish to be; and what I have hitherto satisfied myself too readily with only wishing.

Your billet brought me, what I much wished to have, a proof that I am still remembered by you at the hour in which I must desire it.

"The doctor is anxious about you. He thinks you too negligent of yourself; if you will promise to be cautious, I will exchange promises, as we have already exchanged injunctions. However, do not write to me more than you can easily bear; do not interrupt your ease to write at all. "Mr. Fitzherbert sent to-day to offer me some wine; the people about me say I ought to accept it. I shall therefore be obliged to him if he will send me a bottle..

There has gone about a report that I died today, which I mention, lest you should hear it and be alarmed. You see that I think my death may alarm you; which, for me, is to think very highly of earthly friendship. I believe it arose from the death of one of my neighbours. You know Des Cartes' argument, I think; therefore I am.' It is as good a consequence, 1 write; therefore I am alive. I might give another, I am alive; therefore 1 love Miss Boothby;' but that I hope our friendship may be of far longer duration than life. I am, dearest madam, with sincere affection, yours, "SAM. JOHNSON."

MISS BOOTHBY TO DR. JOHNSON.

[“December, 1755 2.] "MY DEAR SIR,-Would I was able to reply fully to both your kind letters! but at present I am not. I trust we shall both be better soon, with a blessing upon our good doctor's means. I have been, as he can tell you, all obedience. As an answer to one part of your letter, I have sent you a little book 3. God bless you. I must de

|

things that terminate here I shall be much guided by your influence, and should take or leave by your direction; but I cannot receive my religion from any human hand. I desire however to be instructed, and am far from thinking myself perfect.

"I beg you to return the book when you have looked into it. I should not have written what was in the margin, had I not had it from you, or had 1 not intended to show it you.

"It affords me a new conviction, that in these books there is little new, except new forms of expression; which may be sometimes taken, even by the writer, for new doctrines.

"I sincerely hope that God, whom you so much desire to serve aright, will bless you, and restore you to health, if he sees it best. Surely no human understanding can pray for any thing temporal otherwise than conditionally. Dear angel, do not forget me. My heart is full of tenderness. "It has pleased God to permit me to be much better; which I believe will please you.

"Give me leave, who have thought much on medicine, to propose to you an easy, and I think a very probable remedy for indigestion and lubricity of the bowels. Dr. Lawrence has told me your case. Take an ounce of dried orange peel finely powdered, divide it into scruples, and take one scruple at a time in any manner; the best way is perhaps to drink it in a glass of hot red port, or to eat it first, and drink the wine after it. If you mix cinnamon or nutmeg with the powder, it were not worse; but it will be more bulky, and so more troublesome. This is a medicine not disgusting, not costly, easily tried, and if not found useful, easily left off.

"I would not have you offer it to the doctor as mine. Physicians do not love intruders; yet do not take it without his leave. But do not be easily put off, for it is in my opinion very likely to help you, and not likely to do you harm: do not take too much in haste; a scruple once in three hours, or about five scruples a day, will be sufficient to begin; or less, if you find any aversion. I think using sugar with it might be bad; if syrup, use old syrup of quinces; but even that I do not like. I should think better of conserve of sloes. Has the doctor mentioned the bark? In powder you could hardly take it; perhaps you might take the infusion.

"Do not think me troublesome, I am full of I love you and honour you, and am very

care.

[See ante, vol. i. p. 512.—ED.]

unwilling to lose you. A dieu je vous recom-
mande. I am, madam, your, &c.
"My compliments to my dear Miss."

"TO THE SAME.

(From Mrs. Piozzi's Collection, vol. ii. p. 391.) "1st January, 17551. "DEAREST MADAM,-Though I am afraid your illness leaves you little leisure for the reception of airy civilities, yet I cannot forbear to pay you my congratulations on the new year; and to declare my wishes, that your years to come may be many and happy. In this wish indeed I include myself, who have none but you on whom my heart reposes; yet surely I wish your good, even though your situation were such as should permit you to communicate no gratifications to, dearest madam, your, &c.".

"TO THE SAME.

may die in thy favour, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen. I commend, &c. W. and H. B
"Transcribed June 26, 1768 3."

[On a close examination of the foregoing correspondence, it will be seen that the personal communications between Dr. Johnson and Miss Boothby were very limited, and that even during her few and short visits to London their intercourse was hardly as frequent as politeness would have required from common acquaintances.

The Editor admits that several of Miss Boothby's letters contain expressions which, if we did not consider the ages of the parties and all the other circumstances of the case, would sound like something more tender than mere platonism; but the slight intercourse between them during the lady's subsequent visits to town seems to refute that inference.

The general phraseology of Johnson's notes, and the terms "my dearest" and "my angel," seem strange; but it must be recollected that dearest dear, and similar superlatives of tenderness, were usual with him in addressing Miss Reynolds and other ladies for whom he confess

(From Mrs. Piozzi's Collection, vol. ii. p. 392.) "[January 3d, 1756.) "DEAREST MADAM,- Nobody but you can recompense me for the distress which I suffered on Monday night. Having engaged Dr. Lawrence to let me know, at whatever hour, the state inedly felt nothing but friendship; and they were which he left you; I concluded, when he stayed so long, that he stayed to see my dearest expire. I was composing myself as I could to hear what yet I hoped not to hear, when his servant brought me word that you were better. Do you continue to grow better? Let my dear little Miss inform me on a card. I would not have you write, lest it should hurt you, and consequently hurt likewise, dearest madam, yours, &c."

66 TO THE SAME.

"Thursday, 8th January, 1756. “HONOURED MADAM,—I beg of you to en-⇒ deavour to live. I have returned your Law; which, however, I earnestly entreat you to give me. I am in great trouble; if you can write three words to me, be pleased to do it. I am afraid to say much, and cannot say nothing when my cearest is in danger.

"The all-merciful God have mercy on you! am, madam, your, &c."

"Miss Boothby died Friday, January 16, 1756; upon whose death Dr. Johnson composed the following prayer. Prayers and Meditations,' &c. p. 25.

addressed to Miss Boothby when she was dying, and when the hearts of both were softened by sickness and affliction, and warmed by spiritual communication.

As to the supposed rivalry between him and Lord Lyttelton for Miss Boothby's favour (see ante, p. 276), it must be either a total mistake or an absurd exaggeration. Lord Lyttelton was, during the whole of the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson and Miss Boothby, a married man, fondly attached to his wife, and remarkable for the punctilious propriety of his moral conduct; and the preference shown by Miss Boothby, and which is said to have rankled in Johnson's heart, could have been nothing more than some incident in a morning visit, when Lord Lyttelton and Johnson may have fnet in Cavendish-square, (for it seems certain that they never met in the country). have seen in the cases of Lord Chesterfield (vol. I. pp. 110—11, n,) and of Miss Cotterell (vól. i. p. 104) how touchy Johnson was on such occasions, and how ready he was to take offence thing that looked like slight. Some preference or superior respect shown by Miss Boothby to Lord Lyttelton's rank and public station (he was chancellor of the exchequer in 1755) no doubt offended the sensitive pride of Johnson, and occasioned the dislike which he confessed to Mrs. Thrale he felt for Lord Lyttelton; but an amorous rivalry between them is not only absurd, but impossible.—ED.]

Hill Boothby's death, January, 1756.---O Lord God, Almighty disposer of all things, in whose hands are life and death, who givest comforts and takest them away, I return thee thanks for the good example of Hill Boothby, whom thou hast now taken away; and implore thy grace that I may improve the opportunity of instruction which thou hast afforded me, by the knowledge

No. VIII.

p. 387.]

We

any

of her life, and by the sense of her death; that I [NOTE on the words balance of misery, may consider the uncertainty of my present state, and apply myself earnestly to the duties which thou hast set before me, that, living in thy fear, I

[Johnson throughout his life was liable to the inadvertence of using the date of the old year in the first days of the new; and has evidently, the Editor thinks, done so in this case; as it does not seem that Miss Boothby was ill in January, 1755 —ED.] ·

THE Reverend Mr. Ralph Churton, Fellow of Brazen-Nose College, Oxford, has favoured me 2 [These initials mean, no doubt, Mr. Williams, who died a few months before, and Hill Boothby.-ED.]

3 [It is not easy to say why Dr. Johnson marked sev eral of his prayers, as transcribed. Such a fact appears quite immaterial, but no doubt had some particular object.-ED.]

with the following remarks on my work, which he is pleased to say, "I have hitherto extolled, and cordially approve."

The chief part of what I have to observe is contained in the following transcript from a letter to a friend, which, with his concurrence, I copied for this purpose; and, whatever may be the merit or justness of the remarks, you may be sure that being written to a most intimate friend, without any intention that they ever should go further, they are the genuine and undisguised sentiments of the writer:

"6th January, 1792.

the sacred volume which at first sight promises so much to lend its sanction to these dark and desponding notions as the book of Ecclesiastes, which so often, and so emphatically, proclaims the vanity of things sublunary. But the design of this whole book (as it has been justly observed) is not to put us out of conceit with life, but to cure our vain expectations of a complete and perfect happiness in this world: to convince us, that there is no such thing to be found in mere external enjoyments;-and to teach us to seek for happiness in the practice of virtue, in the knowledge and love of God, and in the hopes of a better life. For this is the application of all: Let us hear, &c. xii. 13. Not only his duty, but his happiness too: For God, &c. v. 14.-See Sherlock on Providence,' p. 299.

"The New Testament tells us, indeed, and most truly, that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof: and, therefore, wisely forbids us to increase our burden by forebodings of sorrows; but I think it nowhere says, that even our ordinary afflictions are not consistent with a very considerable degree of positive comfort and satisfaction. And, accordingly, one whose sufferings as well as merits were conspicuous assures us, that in proportion as the sufferings of Christ abounded in them, so their consolation also abounded by Christ.' 2 Cor. i. 5. It is needless to cite, as indeed it would be endless even to refer to, the multitude of passages in both Testaments holding

6

sings, even in this world, to the faithful servants of God. I will only refer to St. Luke, xviii. 29, 30, and 1 Tim. iv. 8.

Last week I was reading the second volume of Boswell's Johnson,' with increasing esteem for the worthy author, and increasing veneration of the wonderful and excellent man who is the subject of it. The writer throws in, now and then, very properly, some serious religious reflections; but there is one remark, in my mind an obvious and just one, which I think he has not made, that Johnson's morbid melancholy,' and constitutional infirmities, were intended by Providence, like St. Paul's thorn in the flesh, to check intellectual conceit and arrogance; which the consciousness of his extraordinary talents, awake as he was to the voice of praise, might otherwise have generated in a very culpable degree. Another observation strikes me, that in consequence of the same natural indispositron, and habitual sickliness (for he says he scarcely passed one day without pain after his twentieth year), he consid-out, in the strongest language, promises of plesered and represented human life as a scene of much greater misery than is generally experienced. There may be persons bowed down with affliction all their days; and there are those, no doubt, whose iniquities rob them of rest; but neither calamities nor crimes, I hope and believe, do so much and so generally abound, as to justify the dark picture of life which Johnson's imagination designed, and his strong pencil delineated. This I am sure, the colouring is far too gloomy for what I have experienced, though, as far as I can remember, I have had more sickness (I do not say more severe, but only more in quantity) than falls to the lot of most people. But then daily debility and occasional sickness were far overbalanced by intervenient days, and, perhaps, weeks void of pain, and overflowing with comfort. So that in short, to return to the subject, human life, as far as I can perceive from experience or observation, is not that state of constant wretchedness which Johnson always insisted it was: which misrepresentation, for such it surely is, his biographer has not corrected, I suppose, because, unhappily, he has himself a large portion of melancholy in his constitution, and fancied the portrait a faithful copy

of life.".

The learned writer then proceeds thus in his letter to mre:

we

Upon the whole, setting aside instances of great and lasting bodily pain, of minds peculiarly oppressed by melancholy, and of severe temporal calamities, from which extraordinary cases surely should not form our estimate of the general tenour and complexion of life; excluding these from the account, I am convinced that as well the gracious constitution of things which Providence has ordained, as the declarations of scripture and the actual experience of individuals, author"ize the sincere Christian to hope that his humble and constant endeavours to perform his duty, chequered as the best life is with many failings, will be crowned with a greater degree of present peace, serenity, and comfort, than he could reasonably permit himself to expect, if he measured his views and judged of life from the opinion of Dr. Johnson, often and energetically expressed in the memoirs of him, without any animadversion or censure by his ingenious biographer. If he himself, upon reviewing the subject, shall see the matter in this light, he will, in an octavo edition, which is eagerly expected, make such additional remarks or corrections as he shall judge fit; lest the impressions which these discouraging passages may leave on the reader's mind should in a degree hinder what otherwise the whole spirit and energy of the work tends, and, I hope, success fully, to promote,-pure morality and true religion."

"I have conversed with some sensible men on this subject, who all seem to entertain the same sentiments respecting life with those which are expressed or implied in the foregoing paragraph. It might be added, that as the representation here spoken of appears not consistent with fact and exThough I have, in some degree, obviated any perience, so neither does it seem to be countenanc-reflections against my illustrious friend's dark ed by scripture. There is, perhaps, no part of views of life, when considering, in the course of