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fuppofition, that we know at least in some degree what will be future. Of 1776. the future we certainly know nothing; but we may form conjectures from Etat. 67. the past; and the power of forming conjectures, includes, in my opinion, the duty of acting in conformity to that probability which we difcover. Providence gives the power of which reason teaches the ufe. I am, dear Sir, "Your most faithful fervant,

"February 9, 1776.

SAM. JOHNSON.

"I hope I fhall get fome ground now with Mrs. Bofwell; make my compliments to her, and to the little people.

"Don't burn papers; they may be safe enough in your own box, you will wish to see them hereafter."

"DEAR SIR,

To the fame.

"TO the letters which I have written about your great queftion I have nothing to add. If your confcience is fatisfied, you have now only your prudence to confult. I long for a letter, that I may know how this troublesome and vexatious question is at last decided. I hope that it will at laft end well. Lord Hailes's letter was very friendly, and very seasonable, but I think his averfion from entails has fomething in it like fuperftition. Providence is not counteracted by any means which Providence puts into our power. The continuance and propagation of families makes a great part of the Jewish law, and is by no means prohibited in the Christian inftitution, though the neceffity of it continues no longer. Hereditary tenures are established in all civilifed countries, and are accompanied in most with hereditary authority. Sir William Temple confiders our conftitution as defective, that there is not an unalienable eftate in land connected with a peerage: and Lord Bacon mentions as a proof that the Turks are Barbarians, their want of Stirpes, as he calls them, or hereditary rank. Do not let your mind, when it

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5 The entail framed by my father with various judicious claufes, was executed by him and me, fettling the estate upon the heirs male of his grandfather, which I found had been already done by my grandfather, imperfectly, but fo as to be defeated only by felling the lands. I was freed by Dr. Johnson from fcruples of confcientious obligation, and could, therefore, gratify my father. But my opinion and partiality for male fucceffion, in its full extent, remained unshaken. Yet let me not be thought harsh or unkind to daughters; for my notion is, that they should be treated with great affection and tendernefs, and always participate of the profperity of the family.

..VOL. II.

C

is

1776. L

is freed from the fuppofed neceffity of a rigorous entail, be entangled with Etat. 67. contrary objections, and think all entails unlawful, till you have cogent arguments, which I believe you will never find; I am afraid of fcruples.

"I have now fent all Lord Hailes's papers, part I found hidden in a drawer in which I had laid them for security, and had forgotten them. Part of these are written twice, I have returned both the copies. Part I had read before.

"Be fo kind as to return Lord Hailes my most respectful thanks for his first volume; his accuracy ftrikes me with wonder; his narrative is far fuperiour to that of Henault, as I have formerly mentioned.

"I am afraid that the trouble, which my irregularity and delay has coft him, is greater, far greater, than any good that I can do him will ever recompenfe, but if I have any more copy, I will try to do better.

"Pray let me know if Mrs. Bofwell is friends with me, and pay my respects to Veronica, and Euphemia, and Alexander. I am, Sir,

"Your most humble fervant,

"Feb. 15, 1775.

SAM. JOHNSON."

Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON.

Edinburgh, Feb. 20, 1776.

"YOU have illuminated my mind and relieved me from imaginary fhackles of confcientious obligation. Were it neceffary, I could immediately join in an entail upon the series of heirs approved by my father; but it is better not to act too fuddenly."

"DEAR SIR,

Dr. JOHNSON to Mr. BOSWELL.

"I AM glad that what I could think or fay has at all contributed to quiet your thoughts. Your refolution not to act, till your opinion is confirmed by more deliberation, is very juft. If you have been fcrupulous, do not now be rash. I hope that as you think more, and take opportunities of talking with men intelligent in questions of property, you will be able to free yourself from every difficulty.

"When I wrote laft, I fent, I think, ten packets. Did you receive them all?

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"You must tell Mrs. Bofwell that I fufpected her to have written without your knowledge, and therefore did not return any answer, left a clandeftine correfpondence fhould have been perniciously discovered. I will write to I am, dear Sir, "Most affectionately yours,

her foon.

Feb. 24, 1776.

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SAM. JOHNSON."

Having communicated to Lord Hailes what Dr. Johnson wrote concerning the question which perplexed me fo much, his Lordship wrote to me, "Your fcruples have produced more fruit than I ever expected from them; an excellent differtation on general principles of morals and law.”

I wrote to Dr. Johnson on the 20th of February, complaining of melancholy, and expreffing a strong defire to be with him; informing him that the ten packets came all fafe; that Lord Hailes was much obliged to him, and faid he had almoft wholly removed his fcruples against entails.

"DEAR SIR,

To JAMES BOSWELL, Efq.

"I HAVE not had your letter half an hour; as you lay fo much weight upon my notions, I fhould think it not just to delay my answer.

"I am very forry that your melancholy fhould return, and should be sorry likewise if it could have no relief but from my company. My counsel you may have when you are pleased to require it; but of my company you cannot in the next month have much, for Mr. Thrale will take me to Italy, he says, on the first of April.

"Let me warn you very earnestly against fcruples. I am glad that you are reconciled to your fettlement, and think it a great honour to have shaken Lord Hailes's opinion of entails. Do not, however, hope wholly to reason away your troubles; do not feed them with attention, and they will die imperceptibly away. Fix your thoughts upon your business, fill your intervals with company, and funshine will again break in upon your mind. If you will come to me, you must come very quickly, and even then I know not but we may scour the country together, for I have a mind to fee Oxford and Lichfield before I fet out on this long journey. To this I can only add, that I am, dear Sir,

"March 5, 1776.

"Your most affectionate humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON."

• A letter to him on the interesting subject of the family fettlement, which I had read.

1776.

Ætat. 67.

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"VERY early in April we leave England, and in the beginning of the next week I fhall leave London for a fhort time; of this I think it neceffary to inform you, that you may not be disappointed in any of your enterprises. I had not fully resolved to go into the country before this day. "Pleafe to make my compliments to Lord Hailes; and mention very particularly to Mrs. Bofwell my hope that she is reconciled to, Sir, "Your faithful fervant,

March 12, 1776.

SAM. JOHNSON."

Above thirty years ago, the heirs of Lord Chancellor Clarendon prefented the University of Oxford with the continuation of his Hiftory, and fuch other of his Lordship's manuscripts as had not been published, on condition that the profits arifing from their publication fhould be applied to the establishment of a Manege in the Univerfity. The gift was accepted in full convocation. A perfon being now recommended to Dr. Johnfon, as fit to fuperintend this propofed riding-school, he exerted himfelf with that zeal for which he was remarkable upon every fimilar occafion. But, on enquiry into the matter, he found that the scheme was not likely to be foon carried into execution; the profits arifing from the Clarendon prefs being, from fome mifmanagement, very fcanty. This having been explained to him by a respectable dignitary. of the church, who had good means of knowing it, he wrote a letter upon the fubject, which at once exhibits his extraordinary precision and acutenefs, and his warm attachment to his ALMA MATER.

To the Reverend Dr. WETHERELL, Mafter of Univerfity-College, Oxford.

"DEAR SIR,

"FEW things are more unpleasant than the tranfaction of business with men who are above knowing or caring what they have to do; fuch as the trustees for Lord Cornbury's inftitution will, perhaps, appear, when you have read Dr. ******* 's letter.

"The last part of the Doctor's letter is of great importance. The complaint which he makes I have heard long ago, and did not know but it was

7 I fuppofe the complaint was, that the truftees of the Oxford prefs did not allow the London bookfellers a fufficient profit upon vending their publications.

redreffed.

redreffed. It is unhappy that a practice fo erroneous has not yet been altered; for altered it must be, or our press will be useless with all its privileges. The book fellers, who, like all other men, have strong prejudices in their own favour, are enough inclined to think the practice of printing and felling books by any but themselves, an encroachment on the rights of their fraternity, and have need of stronger inducements to circulate academical publications than those of one another; for, of that mutual co-operation by which the general trade is carried on, the University can bear no part. Of those whom he neither loves nor fears, and from whom he expects no reciprocation of good. offices, why should any man promote the intereft but for profit? I fuppofe, with all our fcholaftick ignorance of mankind, we are still too knowing to expect that the bookfellers will erect themselves into patrons, and buy and fell under the influence of a difinterested zeal for the promotion of learning.

"To the bookfellers, if we look for either honour or profit from our prefs, not only their common profit, but fomething more must be allowed; and if books, printed at Oxford, are expected to be rated at a high price, that price must be levied on the publick, and paid by the ultimate purchafer, not by the intermediate agents. What price fhall be fet upon the book, is, to the booksellers, wholly indifferent, provided that they gain a proportionate profit by negociating the fale.

"Why books printed at Oxford should be particularly dear, I am, however, unable to find. We pay no rent; we inherit many of our inftruments and materials; lodging and victuals are cheaper than at London; and, therefore, workmanship ought, at least, not to be dearer. Our expences are naturally less than those of bookfellers; and, in most cafes, communities are content with less profit than individuals.

"It is, perhaps, not confidered through how many hands a book often paffes, before it comes into those of the reader; or what part of the profit each hand must retain, as a motive for tranfmitting it to the next.

"We will call our primary agent in London, Mr. Cadell, who receives our books from us, gives them room in his warehouse, and iffues them on demand; by him they are fold to Mr. Dilly, a wholesale bookfeller, who fends them into the country; and the last feller is the country bookfeller. Here are three profits to be paid between the printer and the reader, or in the style of commerce, between the manufacturer and the confumer; and if any of these profits is too penuriously diftributed, the process of commerce is interrupted. « We

1776.

Etat. 67.

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