第32章

'In the course of this visit (1754),Johnson and I walked,three or four times,to Ellsfield,a village beautifully situated about three miles from Oxford,to see Mr.Wise,Radclivian librarian,with whom Johnson was much pleased.At this place,Mr.Wise had fitted up a house and gardens,in a singular manner,but with great taste.Here was an excellent library;particularly,a valuable collection of books in Northern literature,with which Johnson was often very busy.One day Mr.Wise read to us a dissertation which he was preparing for the press,intitled,"A History and Chronology of the fabulous Ages."Some old divinities of Thrace,related to the Titans,and called the CABIRI,made a very important part of the theory of this piece;and in conversation afterwards,Mr.Wise talked much of his CABIRI.As we returned to Oxford in the evening,I out-walked Johnson,and he cried out Sufflamina,a Latin word which came from his mouth with peculiar grace,and was as much as to say,Put on your drag chain.Before we got home,I again walked too fast for him;and he now cried out,"Why,you walk as if you were pursued by all the CABIRI in a body."In an evening,we frequently took long walks from Oxford into the country,returning to supper.Once,in our way home,we viewed the ruins of the abbies of Oseney and Rewley,near Oxford.After at least half an hour's silence,Johnson said,"I viewed them with indignation!"We had then a long conversation on Gothick buildings;and in talking of the form of old halls,he said,"In these halls,the fire place was anciently always in the middle of the room,till the Whigs removed it on one side."--About this time there had been an execution of two or three criminals at Oxford on a Monday.Soon afterwards,one day at dinner,I was saying that Mr.Swinton the chaplain of the gaol,and also a frequent preacher before the University,a learned man,but often thoughtless and absent,preached the condemnation-sermon on repentance,before the convicts,on the preceding day,Sunday;and that in the close he told his audience,that he should give them the remainder of what he had to say on the subject,the next Lord's Day.Upon which,one of our company,a Doctor of Divinity,and a plain matter-of-fact man,by way of offering an apology for Mr.Swinton,gravely remarked,that he had probably preached the same sermon before the University:"Yes,Sir,(says Johnson)but the University were not to be hanged the next morning."'I forgot to observe before,that when he left Mr.Meeke,(as Ihave told above)he added,"About the same time of life,Meeke was left behind at Oxford to feed on a Fellowship,and I went to London to get my living:now,Sir,see the difference of our literary characters!"'

The degree of Master of Arts,which,it has been observed,could not be obtained for him at an early period of his life,was now considered as an honour of considerable importance,in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary;and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high,his friends thought that,if proper exertions were made,the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment.

To THE REVEREND THOMAS WARTON.

'DEAR SIR,--I am extremely sensible of the favour done me,both by Mr.Wise and yourself.The bookcannot,I think,be printed in less than six weeks,nor probably so soon;and I will keep back the title-page,for such an insertion as you seem to promise me....

'I had lately the favour of a letter from your brother,with some account of poor Collins,for whom I am much concerned.I have a notion,that by very great temperance,or more properly abstinence,he may yet recover....

'You know poor Mr.Dodsley has lost his wife;I believe he is much affected.I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine.

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I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind;a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life,without any direction,or fixed point of view:a gloomy gazer on a world to which I have little relation.Yet I would endeavour,by the help of you and your brother,to supply the want of closer union,by friendship:

and hope to have long the pleasure of being,dear Sir,most affectionately your's,'[London.]Dec.21,1754.'

'SAM.JOHNSON.'

'His Dictionary'--WARTON.

1755:AETAT.46.]--In 1755we behold him to great advantage;his degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him,his Dictionary published,his correspondence animated,his benevolence exercised.

Mr.Charles Burney,who has since distinguished himself so much in the science of Musick,and obtained a Doctor's degree from the University of Oxford,had been driven from the capital by bad health,and was now residing at Lynne Regis,in Norfolk.He had been so much delighted with Johnson's Rambler and the Plan of his Dictionary,that when the great work was announced in the news-papers as nearly finished,'he wrote to Dr.Johnson,begging to be informed when and in what manner his Dictionary would be published;intreating,if it should be by subion,or he should have any books at his own disposal,to be favoured with six copies for himself and friends.

In answer to this application,Dr.Johnson wrote the following letter,of which (to use Dr.Burney's own words)'if it be remembered that it was written to an obscure young man,who at this time had not much distinguished himself even in his own profession,but whose name could never have reached the authour of The Rambler,the politeness and urbanity may be opposed to some of the stories which have been lately circulated of Dr.Johnson's natural rudeness and ferocity.'

'TO MR.BURNEY,IN LYNNE REGIS,NORFOLK.