第19章

He also wrote an 'Essay on Epitaphs,'and an 'Epitaph on Philips,a Musician,'which was afterwards published with some other pieces of his,in Mrs.Williams's Miscellanies.This Epitaph is so exquisitely beautiful,that Iremember even Lord Kames,strangely prejudiced as he was against Dr.Johnson,was compelled to allow it very high praise.It has been ascribed to Mr.Garrick,from its appearing at first with the signature G;but I have heard Mr.Garrick declare,that it was written by Dr.Johnson,and give the following account of the manner in which it was composed.Johnson and he were sitting together;when,amongst other things,Garrick repeated an Epitaph upon this Philips by a Dr.Wilkes,in these words:

'Exalted soul!whose harmony could please The love-sick virgin,and the gouty ease;Could jarring discord,like Amphion,move To beauteous order and harmonious love;Rest here in peace,till angels bid thee rise,And meet thy blessed Saviour in the skies.'

Johnson shook his head at these common-place funereal lines,and said to Garrick,'I think,Davy,I can make a better.'Then,stirring about his tea for a little while,in a state of meditation,he almost extempore produced the following verses:

'Philips,whose touch harmonious could remove The pangs of guilty power or hapless love;Rest here,distress'd by poverty no more,Here find that calm thou gav'st so oft before;Sleep,undisturb'd,within this peaceful shrine,Till angels wake thee with a note like thine!'

1742:AETAT.33.]--In 1742he wrote ...'Proposals for Printing Bibliotheca Harleiana,or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford.'He was employed in this business by Mr.Thomas Osborne the bookseller,who purchased the library for 13,000l.,a sum which Mr.Oldys says,in one of his manus,was not more than the binding of the books had cost;yet,as Dr.Johnson assured me,the slowness of the sale was such,that there was not much gained by it.It has been confidently related,with many embellishments,that Johnson one day knocked Osborne down in his shop,with a folio,and put his foot upon his neck.The simple truth I had from Johnson himself.'Sir,he was impertinent to me,and I beat him.

But it was not in his shop:it was in my own chamber.'

1744:AETAT.35.]--He produced one work this year,fully sufficient to maintain the high reputation which he had acquired.This was The Life of Richard Savage;a man,of whom it is difficult to speak impartially,without wondering that he was for some time the intimate companion of Johnson;for his character was marked by profligacy,insolence,and ingratitude:yet,as he undoubtedly had a warm and vigorous,though unregulated mind,had seen life in all its varieties,and been much in the company of the statesmen and wits of his time,he could communicate to Johnson an abundant supply of such materials as his philosophical curiosity most eagerly desired;and as Savage's misfortunes and misconduct had reduced him to the lowest state of wretchedness as a writer for bread,his visits to St.John's Gate naturally brought Johnson and him together.

It is melancholy to reflect,that Johnson and Savage were sometimes in such extreme indigence,that they could not pay for a lodging;so that they have wandered together whole nights in the streets.

Yet in these almost incredible scenes of distress,we may suppose that Savage mentioned many of the anecdotes with which Johnson afterwards enriched the life of his unhappy companion,and those of other Poets.

Soon after Savage's Life was published,Mr.Harte dined with Edward Cave,and occasionally praised it.Soon after,meeting him,Cave said,'You made a man very happy t'other day.'--'How could that be.'says Harte;'nobody was there but ourselves.'Cave answered,by reminding him that a plate of victuals was sent behind a screen,which was to Johnson,dressed so shabbily,that he did not choose to appear;but on hearing the conversation,was highly delighted with the encomiums on his book--MALONE.

He told Sir Joshua Reynolds,that one night in particular,when Savage and he walked round St.James's-square for want of a lodging,they were not at all depressed by their situation;but in high spirits and brimful of patriotism,traversed the square for several hours,inveighed against the minister,and 'resolved they would stand by their country.'

In Johnson's Life of Savage,although it must be allowed that its moral is the reverse of--'Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo,'a very useful lesson is inculcated,to guard men of warm passions from a too free indulgence of them;and the various incidents are related in so clear and animated a manner,and illuminated throughout with so much philosophy,that it is one of the most interesting narratives in the English language.Sir Joshua Reynolds told me,that upon his return from Italy he met with it in Devonshire,knowing nothing of its authour,and began to read it while he was standing with his arm leaning against a chimney-piece.It seized his attention so strongly,that,not being able to lay down the book till he had finished it,when he attempted to move,he found his arm totally benumbed.The rapidity with which this work was composed,is a wonderful circumstance.

Johnson has been heard to say,'I wrote forty-eight of the printed octavo pages of the Life of Savage at a sitting;but then I sat up all night.'