Complete Works of Samuel Johnson, page 676
1756. An Abridgement of his Dictionary. acknowl.
Several Essays in the Universal Visitor, which there is some difficulty in ascertaining. All that are marked with two Asterisks have been ascribed to him, although I am confident from internal Evidence, that we should except from these ‘The Life of Chaucer,’ ‘Reflections on the State of Portugal,’ and ‘An Essay on Architecture:’ And from the same Evidence I am confident that he wrote ‘Further Thoughts on Agriculture,’ and ‘A Dissertation on the State of Literature and Authours.’ The Dissertation on the Epitaphs written by Pope he afterwards acknowledged, and added to his ‘Idler.’
Life of Sir Thomas Browne prefixed to a new Edition of his Christian
Morals. acknowl.
In the Literary Magazine; or, Universal Review, which began in January 1756.
His Original Essays are
Preliminary Address, intern. evid..
An introduction to the Political State of Great Britain, intern. evid..
Remarks on the Militia Bill, intern. evid..
Observations on his Britannick Majesty’s Treaties with the Empress of
Russia and the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel. intern. evid..
Observations on the Present State of Affairs. intern. evid..
Memoirs of Frederick III. King of Prussia. intern. evid..
In the same Magazine his Reviews are of the following Books:
‘Birch’s History of the Royal Society.’— ‘Browne’s Christian Morals.’— ‘Warton’s Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope, Vol. I.’— ‘Hampton’s Translation of Polybius.’— ‘Sir Isaac Newton’s Arguments in Proof of a Deity.’— ‘Borlase’s History of the Isles of Scilly.’— ‘Home’s Experiments on Bleaching.’— ‘Browne’s History of Jamaica.’— ‘Hales on Distilling Sea Waters, Ventilators in Ships, and curing an ill Taste in Milk.’— ‘Lucas’s Essay on Waters.’— ‘Keith’s Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops.’— ‘Philosophical Transactions, Vol. XLIX.’— ‘Miscellanies by Elizabeth Harrison.’— ‘Evans’s Map and Account of the Middle Colonies in America.’— ‘The Cadet, a Military Treatise.’— ‘The Conduct of the Ministry relating to the present War impartially examined.’ intern. evid..
‘Mrs. Lennox’s Translation of Sully’s Memoirs.’— ‘Letter on the Case of
Admiral Byng.’— ‘Appeal to the People concerning Admiral
Byng.’— ‘Hanway’s Eight Days’ Journey, and Essay on Tea.’— ‘Some further
Particulars in Relation to the Case of Admiral Byng, by a Gentleman of
Oxford.’ acknowl.
Mr. Jonas Hanway having written an angry Answer to the Review of his Essay on Tea, Johnson in the same Collection made a Reply to it. acknowl. This is the only Instance, it is believed, when he condescended to take Notice of any Thing that had been written against him; and here his chief Intention seems to have been to make Sport.
Dedication to the Earl of Rochford of, and Preface to, Mr. Payne’s
Introduction to the Game of Draughts, acknowl.
Introduction to the London Chronicle, an Evening Paper which still subsists with deserved credit. acknowl.
1757. Speech on the Subject of an Address to the Throne after the Expedition to Rochefort; delivered by one of his Friends in some publick Meeting: it is printed in the Gentleman’s Magazine for October 1785. intern. evid.
The first two Paragraphs of the Preface to Sir William Chambers’s
Designs of Chinese Buildings, &c. acknowl.
1758. THE IDLER, which began April 5, in this year, and was continued till April 5, 1760. acknowl.
An Essay on the Bravery of the English Common Soldiers was added to it when published in Volumes. acknowl.
1759. Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia, a Tale. acknowl.
Advertisement for the Proprietors of the Idler against certain Persons who pirated those Papers as they came out singly in a Newspaper called the Universal Chronicle or Weekly Gazette. intern. evid.
For Mrs. Charlotte Lennox’s English Version of Brumoy,— ‘A Dissertation on the Greek Comedy,’ and the General Conclusion of the Book. intern. evid.
Introduction to the World Displayed, a Collection of Voyages and
Travels. acknowl.
Three Letters in the Gazetteer, concerning the best plan for Blackfriars
Bridge. acknowl.
1760. Address of the Painters to George III. on his Accession to the Throne. intern. evid.
Dedication of Baretti’s Italian and English Dictionary to the Marquis of
Abreu, then Envoy-Extraordinary from Spain at the Court of
Great-Britain. intern. evid.
Review in the Gentleman’s Magazine of Mr. Tytler’s acute and able
Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots. acknowl.
Introduction to the Proceedings of the Committee for Cloathing the
French Prisoners. acknowl.
1761. Preface to Rolfs Dictionary of Trade and Commerce. acknowl.
Corrections and Improvements for Mr. Gwyn the Architect’s Pamphlet, intitled ‘Thoughts on the Coronation of George III.’ acknowl.
1762. Dedication to the King of the Reverend Dr. Kennedy’s Complete System of Astronomical Chronology, unfolding the Scriptures, Quarto Edition. acknowl.
Concluding Paragraph of that Work. intern. evid.
Preface to the Catalogue of the Artists’ Exhibition. intern. evid.
1763.
Character of Collins in the Poetical Calendar, published by Fawkes and
Woty. acknowl.
Dedication to the Earl of Shaftesbury of the Edition of Roger Ascham’s
English Works, published by the Reverend Mr. Bennet. acknowl.
The Life of Ascham, also prefixed to that edition. acknowl.
Review of Telemachus, a Masque, by the Reverend George Graham of Eton
College, in the Critical Review. acknowl.
Dedication to the Queen of Mr. Hoole’s Translation of Tasso. acknowl.
Account of the Detection of the Imposture of the Cock-Lane Ghost, published in the Newspapers and Gentleman’s Magazine. acknowl.
1764.
Part of a Review of Grainger’s ‘Sugar Cane, a Poem,’ in the London Chronicle. acknowl.
Review of Goldsmith’s Traveller, a Poem, in the Critical Review. acknowl.
1765.
The Plays of William Shakspeare, in eight volumes, 8vo. with Notes. acknowl.
1766.
The Fountains, a Fairy Tale, in Mrs. Williams’s Miscellanies. acknowl.
1767.
Dedication to the King of Mr. Adams’s Treatise on the Globes. acknowl.
1769.
Character of the Reverend Mr. Zachariah Mudge, in the London Chronicle. acknowl.
1770.
The False Alarm. acknowl.
1771.
Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland’s Islands. acknowl.
1772.
Defence of a Schoolmaster; dictated to me for the House of Lords. acknowl.
Argument in Support of the Law of Vicious Intromission; dictated to me for the Court of Session in Scotland. acknowl.
1773.
Preface to Macbean’s ‘Dictionary of Ancient Geography.’ acknowl.
Argument in Favour of the Rights of Lay Patrons; dictated to me for the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. acknowl.
1774.
The Patriot. acknowl.
1775.
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland. acknowl.
Proposals for publishing the Works of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox, in Three
Volumes Quarto. acknowl.
Preface to Baretti’s Easy Lessons in Italian and English. intern. evid.
Taxation no Tyranny; an Answer to the Resolutions and Address of the
American Congress. acknowl.
Argument on the Case of Dr. Memis; dictated to me for the Court of
Session in Scotland. acknowl.
Argument to prove that the Corporation of Stirling was corrupt; dictated to me for the House of Lords. acknowl.
1776.
Argument in Support of the Right of immediate, and personal reprehension from the Pulpit; dictated to me. acknowl.
Proposals for publishing an Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language, by the Reverend William Shaw. acknowl.
1777.
Dedication to the King of the Posthumous Works of Dr. Pearce, Bishop of
Rochester. acknowl.
Additions to the Life and Character of that Prelate; prefixed to those
Works. acknowl.
Various Papers and Letters in Favour of the Reverend Dr. Dodd. acknowl.
1780.
Advertisement for his Friend Mr. Thrale to the Worthy Electors of the
Borough of Southwark. acknowl.
The first Paragraph of Mr. Thomas Davies’s Life of Garrick, acknowl.
1781.
Prefaces Biographical and Critical to the Works of the most eminent
English Poets; afterwards published with the Title of Lives of the
English Poets. acknowl.
Argument on the Importance of the Registration of Deeds; dictated to me for an Election Committee of the House of Commons. acknowl.
On the Distinction between TORY and WHIG; dictated to me. acknowl.
On Vicarious Punishments, and the great Propitiation for the Sins of the
World, by JESUS CHRIST; dictated to me. acknowl.
Argument in favour of Joseph Knight, an African Negro, who claimed his Liberty in the Court of Session in Scotland, and obtained it; dictated to me. acknowl.
Defence of Mr. Robertson, Printer of the Caledonian Mercury, against the Society of Procurators in Edinburgh, for having inserted in his Paper a ludicrous Paragraph against them; demonstrating that it was not an injurious Libel; dictated to me. acknowl.
1782.
The greatest part, if not the whole, of a Reply, by the Reverend Mr.
Shaw, to a Person at Edinburgh, of the Name of Clark, refuting his
arguments for the authenticity of the Poems published by Mr. James
Macpherson as Translations from Ossian. intern. evid.
1784. List of the Authours of the Universal History, deposited in the British Museum, and printed in the Gentleman’s Magazine for December, this year, acknowl.
Various Years.
Letters to Mrs. Thrale. acknowl.
Prayers and Meditations, which he delivered to the Rev. Mr. Strahan, enjoining him to publish them, acknowl.
Sermons left for Publication by John Taylor, LL.D. Prebendary of Westminster, and given to the World by the Reverend Samuel Hayes, A.M. intern. evid.
Such was the number and variety of the Prose Works of this extraordinary man, which I have been able to discover, and am at liberty to mention; but we ought to keep in mind, that there must undoubtedly have been many more which are yet concealed; and we may add to the account, the numerous Letters which he wrote, of which a considerable part are yet unpublished. It is hoped that those persons in whose possession they are, will favour the world with them.
JAMES BOSWELL.
* * * * *
‘After my death I wish no other herald,
No other speaker of my living actions,
To keep mine honour from corruption,
But such an honest chronicler as Griffith.’
SHAKSPEARE, Henry VIII. [Act IV. Sc. 2.]
THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.
To write the Life of him who excelled all mankind in writing the lives of others, and who, whether we consider his extraordinary endowments, or his various works, has been equalled by few in any age, is an arduous, and may be reckoned in me a presumptuous task.
Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited. But although he at different times, in a desultory manner, committed to writing many particulars of the progress of his mind and fortunes, he never had persevering diligence enough to form them into a regular composition. Of these memorials a few have been preserved; but the greater part was consigned by him to the flames, a few days before his death.
As I had the honour and happiness of enjoying his friendship for upwards of twenty years; as I had the scheme of writing his life constantly in view; as he was well apprised of this circumstance, and from time to time obligingly satisfied my inquiries, by communicating to me the incidents of his early years; as I acquired a facility in recollecting, and was very assiduous in recording, his conversation, of which the extraordinary vigour and vivacity constituted one of the first features of his character; and as I have spared no pains in obtaining materials concerning him, from every quarter where I could discover that they were to be found, and have been favoured with the most liberal communications by his friends; I flatter myself that few biographers have entered upon such a work as this, with more advantages; independent of literary abilities, in which I am not vain enough to compare myself with some great names who have gone before me in this kind of writing.
Since my work was announced, several Lives and Memoirs of Dr. Johnson have been published, the most voluminous of which is one compiled for the booksellers of London, by Sir John Hawkins, Knight, a man, whom, during my long intimacy with Dr. Johnson, I never saw in his company, I think but once, and I am sure not above twice. Johnson might have esteemed him for his decent, religious demeanour, and his knowledge of books and literary history; but from the rigid formality of his manners, it is evident that they never could have lived together with companionable ease and familiarity; nor had Sir John Hawkins that nice perception which was necessary to mark the finer and less obvious parts of Johnson’s character. His being appointed one of his executors, gave him an opportunity of taking possession of such fragments of a diary and other papers as were left; of which, before delivering them up to the residuary legatee, whose property they were, he endeavoured to extract the substance. In this he has not been very successful, as I have found upon a perusal of those papers, which have been since transferred to me. Sir John Hawkins’s ponderous labours, I must acknowledge, exhibit a farrago, of which a considerable portion is not devoid of entertainment to the lovers of literary gossiping; but besides its being swelled out with long unnecessary extracts from various works (even one of several leaves from Osborne’s Harleian Catalogue, and those not compiled by Johnson, but by Oldys), a very small part of it relates to the person who is the subject of the book; and, in that, there is such an inaccuracy in the statement of facts, as in so solemn an authour is hardly excusable, and certainly makes his narrative very unsatisfactory. But what is still worse, there is throughout the whole of it a dark uncharitable cast, by which the most unfavourable construction is put upon almost every circumstance in the character and conduct of my illustrious friend; who, I trust, will, by a true and fair delineation, be vindicated both from the injurious misrepresentations of this authour, and from the slighter aspersions of a lady who once lived in great intimacy with him.
There is, in the British Museum, a letter from Bishop Warburton to Dr. Birch, on the subject of biography; which, though I am aware it may expose me to a charge of artfully raising the value of my own work, by contrasting it with that of which I have spoken, is so well conceived and expressed, that I cannot refrain from here inserting it: —
‘I shall endeavor, (says Dr. Warburton,) to give you what satisfaction I can in any thing you want to be satisfied in any subject of Milton, and am extremely glad you intend to write his life. Almost all the life-writers we have had before Toland and Desmaiseaux, are indeed strange insipid creatures; and yet I had rather read the worst of them, than be obliged to go through with this of Milton’s, or the other’s life of Boileau, where there is such a dull, heavy succession of long quotations of disinteresting passages, that it makes their method quite nauseous. But the verbose, tasteless Frenchman seems to lay it down as a principle, that every life must be a book, and what’s worse, it proves a book without a life; for what do we know of Boileau, after all his tedious stuff? You are the only one, (and I speak it without a compliment) that by the vigour of your stile and sentiments, and the real importance of your materials, have the art, (which one would imagine no one could have missed,) of adding agreements to the most agreeable subject in the world, which is literary history.’
‘Nov. 24, 1737.’
Instead of melting down my materials into one mass, and constantly speaking in my own person, by which I might have appeared to have more merit in the execution of the work, I have resolved to adopt and enlarge upon the excellent plan of Mr. Mason, in his Memoirs of Gray. Wherever narrative is necessary to explain, connect, and supply, I furnish it to the best of my abilities; but in the chronological series of Johnson’s life, which I trace as distinctly as I can, year by year, I produce, wherever it is in my power, his own minutes, letters, or conversation, being convinced that this mode is more lively, and will make my readers better acquainted with him, than even most of those were who actually knew him, but could know him only partially; whereas there is here an accumulation of intelligence from various points, by which his character is more fully understood and illustrated.
Indeed I cannot conceive a more perfect mode of writing any man’s life, than not only relating all the most important events of it in their order, but interweaving what he privately wrote, and said, and thought; by which mankind are enabled as it were to see him live, and to ‘live o’er each scene’ with him, as he actually advanced through the several stages of his life. Had his other friends been as diligent and ardent as I was, he might have been almost entirely preserved. As it is, I will venture to say that he will be seen in this work more completely than any man who has ever yet lived.
And he will be seen as he really was; for I profess to write, not his panegyrick, which must be all praise, but his Life; which, great and good as he was, must not be supposed to be entirely perfect. To be as he was, is indeed subject of panegyrick enough to any man in this state of being; but in every picture there should be shade as well as light, and when I delineate him without reserve, I do what he himself recommended, both by his precept and his example.
