James Boswell - THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON - All 6 Volumes in One Edition

[514] In Mrs. Williams’s Miscellanies, in which this paraphrase is inserted, it is stated that the Latin epitaph was written by Dr. Freind. I do not think that the English version is by Johnson. I should be sorry to ascribe to him such lines as:—

‘Illustrious age! how bright thy glories shone,

When Hanmer filled the chair—and Anne the throne.’

[515] In the Observations , Johnson, writing of Hanmer, says:—‘Surely the weapons of criticism ought not to be blunted against an editor who can imagine that he is restoring poetry while he is amusing himself with alterations like these:—

For,—This is the sergeant

Who like a good and hardy soldier fought;

—This is the sergeant who

Like a right good and hardy soldier fought.

Such harmless industry may surely be forgiven, if it cannot be praised; may he therefore never want a monosyllable who can use it with such wonderful dexterity.’ Johnson’s Works , v. 93. In his Preface to Shakespeare published eighteen years later, he describes Hanmer as ‘A man, in my opinion, eminently qualified by nature for such studies.’ Ib . p. 139. The editors of the Cambridge Shakespeare (i. xxxii) thus write of Hanmer:—

‘A country gentleman of great ingenuity and lively fancy, but with no knowledge of older literature, no taste for research, and no ear for the rhythm of earlier English verse, amused his leisure hours by scribbling down his own and his friend’s guesses in Pope’s Shakespeare .’

[516] In the Universal Visiter , to which Johnson contributed, the mark which is affixed to some pieces unquestionably his, is also found subjoined to others, of which he certainly was not the author. The mark therefore will not ascertain the poems in question to have been written by him. They were probably the productions of Hawkesworth, who, it is believed, was afflicted with the gout. MALONE.

It is most unlikely that Johnson wrote such poor poems as these. I shall not easily be persuaded that the following lines are his:—

‘Love warbles in the vocal groves,

And vegetation paints the plain.’

‘And love and hate alike implore

The skies—“That Stella mourn no more.”’

‘The Winter’s Walk’ has two good lines, but these may have been supplied by Johnson. The lines to ‘Lyce, an elderly Lady,’ would, if written by him, have been taken as a satire on his wife.

[517] See post under Sept. 18, 1783.

[518] See Johnson’s Works , vii. 4, 34.

[519] Boswell italicises conceits to shew that he is using it in the sense in which Johnson uses it in his criticism of Cowley:—‘These conceits Addison calls mixed wit; that is, wit which consists of thoughts true in one sense of the expression and false in the other.’ Ib . vii 35.

[520] Namby Pamby was the name given to Ambrose Philips by Pope Ib . viii. 395

[521] Malone most likely is meant. Mr. Croker says:—‘Johnson has “ indifferently ” in the sense of “ without concern ” in his Dictionary , with this example from Shakespeare , “And I will look on death indifferently.”’ Johnson however here defines indifferently as in a neutral state; without wish or aversion ; which is not the same as without concern . The passage, which is from Julius Caesar , i. 2, is not correctly given. It is—

‘Set honour in one eye and death i’ the other And I will look on both indifferently.’

We may compare Johnson’s use of indifferent in his Letter to Chesterfield, post , Feb. 7, 1755:—‘The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours … has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it.’

[522] ‘Radcliffe, when quite a boy, had been engaged in the rebellion of 1715, and being attainted had escaped from Newgate…. During the insurrection [of 1745], having been captured on board a French vessel bound for Scotland, he was arraigned on his original sentence which had slumbered so long. The only trial now conceded to him was confined to his identity. For such a course there was no precedent, except in the case of Sir Walter Raleigh, which had brought shame upon the reign of James I.’ Campbell’s Chancellors (edit. 1846), v. 108. Campbell adds, ‘his execution, I think, reflects great disgrace upon Lord Hardwicke [the Lord Chancellor].’

[523] In the original end .

[524] “These verses are somewhat too severe on the extraordinary person who is the chief figure in them, for he was undoubtedly brave. His pleasantry during his solemn trial (in which, by the way, I have heard Mr. David Hume observe, that we have one of the very few speeches of Mr. Murray, now Earl of Mansfield, authentically given) was very remarkable. When asked if he had any questions to put to Sir Everard Fawkener, who was one of the strongest witnesses against him, he answered, ‘I only wish him joy of his young wife.’ And after sentence of death, in the horrible terms in cases of treason, was pronounced upon him, and he was retiring from the bar, he said, ‘Fare you well, my Lords, we shall not all meet again in one place.’ He behaved with perfect composure at his execution, and called out ‘ Dulce et decorum est pro patriâ mori ?’

‘What joys, what glories round him wait,

Who bravely for his country dies!”

FRANCIS. Horace, Odes , iii.2. 13.

‘Old Lovat was beheaded yesterday,’ wrote Horace Walpole on April 10, 1747, ‘and died extremely well: without passion, affectation, buffoonery, or timidity; his behaviour was natural and intrepid.’ Letters , ii. 77.

[525] See post , 1780, in Mr. Langton’s Collection .

[526] My friend, Mr. Courtenay, whose eulogy on Johnson’s Latin Poetry has been inserted in this Work [ ante , p. 62], is no less happy in praising his English Poetry.

But hark, he sings! the strain ev’n Pope admires;

Indignant virtue her own bard inspires.

Sublime as juvenal he pours his lays,

And with the Roman shares congenial praise;—

In glowing numbers now he fires the age,

And Shakspeare’s sun relumes the clouded stage.

[527] The play is by Ambrose Philips. ‘It was concluded with the most successful Epilogue that was ever yet spoken on the English theatre. The three first nights it was recited twice; and not only continued to be demanded through the run, as it is termed, of the play; but, whenever it is recalled to the stage, where by peculiar fortune, though a copy from the French, it yet keeps its place, the Epilogue is still expected, and is still spoken.’ Johnson’s Works , viii. 389. See post , April 21, 1773, note on Eustace Budgel. The Epilogue is given in vol. v. p. 228 of Bonn’s Addison , and the great success that it met with is described in The Spectator , No. 341.

[528] Such poor stuff as the following is certainly not by Johnson:—

‘Let musick sound the voice of joy!

Or mirth repeat the jocund tale;

Let Love his wanton wiles employ,

And o’er the season wine prevail.’

[529] ‘Dodsley first mentioned to me the scheme of an English Dictionary; but I had long thought of it.’ Post , Oct. 10, 1779.

[530] It would seem from the passage to which Boswell refers that Pope had wished that Johnson should undertake the Dictionary . Johnson, in mentioning Pope, says:—‘Of whom I may be justified in affirming that were he still alive, solicitous as he was for the success of this work, he would not be displeased that I have undertaken it.’ Works , v. 20. As Pope died on May 30, 1744, this renders it likely that the work was begun earlier than Boswell thought.