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Life of Johnson Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Life of Johnson novel. A total of 427 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Life Of Johnson.Vol. 1.by Boswell.Edited by Birkbeck Hill.PREFACE.Fielding, it is said,
Life Of Johnson.Vol. 1.by Boswell.Edited by Birkbeck Hill.PREFACE.Fielding, it is said, drank confusion to the man who invented the fifth act of a play. He who has edited an extensive work, and has concluded his labours by the preparation of a copious ind
- 301 Who Nature's treasures would explore, Her mysteries and arcana know; Must high as lofty Newton soar, Must stoop as delving Woodward low.Who studies ancient laws and rites, Tongues, arts, and arms, and history; Must drudge, like Selden, days and nights, A
- 302 [109] In _Ra.s.selas_ (ch. ii.) we read that the prince's look 'discovered him to receive some solace of the miseries of life, from consciousness of the delicacy with which he felt, and the eloquence with which he bewailed them.' See _ante_, April 8, 1
- 303 It is however older than his time.[142] See Johnson's _Works_, vii. 134, 212, and viii. 386.[143] Horace Walpole (_Letters_, vii. 452) writes of Johnson's '_Billingsgate on Milton_.' A later letter shows that, like so many of Johnson's critics, he ha
- 304 [182] _Works, vii. 420._ [183] Benjamin Victor published in 1722, a _Letter to Steele_, and in 1776, _Letters, Dramatic Pieces, and Poems_ Brit. Mus. Catalogue.[184] Mr. _Wilks_. See _ante_, i. 167, note 1.[185] See _post_, p. 91 and Macaulay's _Essay on
- 305 D'Arblay's _Diary_, i.118, 126. 'Mrs. Montagu's dinners and a.s.semblies,'writes Wraxall, 'were princ.i.p.ally supported by, and they fell with, the giant talents of Johnson, who formed the nucleus round which all the subordinate members revolved.'
- 306 [263] Here Johnson uses his t.i.tle of Doctor (_ante_, ii.332, note 1), but perhaps he does so as quoting the paragraph in the newspaper.[264] William, the first Viscount Grimston. BOSWELL. Swift thus introduces him in his lines _On Poetry, A Rhapsody_:--
- 307 [302] _St. Matthew_, xxvii. 52.[303] I _Corinthians_, xv. 37.[304] As this subject frequently recurs in these volumes, the reader may be led erroneously to suppose that Dr. Johnson was so fond of such discussions, as frequently to introduce them. But the
- 308 [337] Wilkes imperfectly recalled to mind the following pa.s.sage in Plutarch:--'[Greek: Euphranor ton Thaesea ton heatou to Parrhasiou parebale, legon tor men ekeinou hroda bebrokenai, tor de eautou krea boeia.]' 'Euphranor, comparing his own Theseus
- 309 For his lords.h.i.+p's tragedy see _post_, under Nov. 19, 1783.[369] Men of rank and fortune, however, should be pretty well a.s.sured of having a real claim to the approbation of the publick, as writers, before they venture to stand forth. Dryden, in hi
- 310 [404] See _ante_, i. 441, and _post_, March 28, and June 3, 1782.[405] Mr. Dawkins visited Palmyra in 1751. He had 'an escort of the Aga of Ha.s.sia's best Arab hors.e.m.e.n.' Johnson was perhaps astonished at the size of their caravan, 'which was inc
- 311 Taylor:--'Perhaps no nation not absolutely conquered has declined so much in so short a time. We seem to be sinking. Suppose the Irish, having already gotten a free trade and an independent Parliament, should say we will have a King and ally ourselves wi
- 312 [477] See _ante_, i. 441.[478] Which I celebrated in the Church of England chapel at Edinburgh, founded by Lord Chief Baron Smith, of respectable and pious memory. BOSWELL.[479] See _ante_, p. 80.[480] The Reverend Mr. Temple, Vicar of St. Gluvias, Cornwa
- 313 _Notes and Queries_, 6th S. v. 481.[512] See _ante_, i. 429, _post_, 170, and Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.30.[513] The year after this conversation the General Election of 1784 was held, which followed on the overthrow of the Coalition Ministry and the fo
- 314 Here we find Johnson's poetical and critical powers undiminished. I must, however, observe, that the aids he gave to this poem, as to _The Traveller_ and _Deserted Village_ of Goldsmith, were so small as by no means to impair the distinguished merit of t
- 315 [572] See _ante_, i. 368.[573] See _ante_, i. 396.[574] I am happy, however, to mention a pleasing instance of his enduring with great gentleness to hear one of his most striking particularities pointed out:--Miss Hunter, a niece of his friend Christopher
- 316 _Aeneid_, i. 378. I fear that Twalmley met with the neglect that so commonly befalls inventors. In the _Gent. Mag_. 1783, p. 719, I find in the list of 'B-nk-ts,' Josiah Twamley, the elder, of Warwick, ironmonger.[607] 'Sir, Hume is a Tory by chance, a
- 317 [647] This duel was fought on April 21, between Mr. Riddell of the Horse-Grenadiers, and Mr. Cunningham of the Scots Greys. Riddell had the first fire, and shot Cunningham through the breast. After a pause of two minutes Cunningham returned the fire, and
- 318 [686] 'The shame is to impose words for ideas upon ourselves or others.'Johnson's _Works_, vi. 64. See _ante_, p.122, where he says: 'There is a middle state of mind between conviction and hypocrisy.' Bacon, in his _Essay of Truth_, says: 'It is not
- 319 [720] 'July 23. I have been thirteen days at Rochester, and am just now returned. I came back by water in a common boat twenty miles for a s.h.i.+lling, and when I landed at Billingsgate, I carried my budget myself to Cornhill before I could get a coach,
- 320 Horace Walpole wrote of Garrick in 1765 (_Letters_, iv. 335):--'Several actors have pleased me more, though I allow not in so many parts. Quin in Falstaff was as excellent as Garrick in _Lear_. Old Johnson far more natural in everything he attempted; Mrs
- 321 Cambridge was thinking of the Two-penny Club. _Spectator_, No. ix.[793] I was in Scotland when this Club was founded, and during all the winter. Johnson, however, declared I should be a member, and invented a word upon the occasion: 'Boswell (said he) is
- 322 'I am, Sir, 'Your affectionate &c., 'SAM. JOHNSON.''London, Jan. 24, 1784.'[811] See _post_, v. 48.[812] See _post_, p. 271.[813] I sent it to Mr. Pitt, with a letter, in which I thus expressed myself:--'My principles may appear to you too monarchi
- 323 [843] See _ante,_ p. 197.[844] Boswell himself, likely enough.[845] Verses on the death of Mr. Levett. BOSWELL. _Ante,_ p. 138 [846] If it was Boswell to whom this advice was given, it is not unlikely that he needed it. The meagreness of his record of Joh
- 324 [879] She too was learned; for according to Hannah More (_Memoirs_, i.292) she had learnt Hebrew, merely to be useful to her husband.[880]'This day then let us not be told, That you are sick, and I grown old; Nor think on our approaching ills, And talk o
- 325 [905] 1 _Timothy_, i. 15.[906] See _post_, v. 68, note 4.[907] 'Be careful thou dost not speak a lie in thy prayers, which though not observed is frequently practised by careless persons, especially in the forms of confession, affirming things which they
- 326 '--to thee I call But with no friendly voice, and add thy name O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams.'Milton's _Paradise Lost_, iv. 35.[930] Yet there is no doubt that a man may appear very gay in company who is sad at heart. His merriment is like t
- 327 [965] See vol. ii. p. 126. BOSWELL [966] '"That may be so," replied the lady, "for ought I know, but they are above my comprehension." "I an't obliged to find you comprehension, Madam, curse me," cried he,' _Roderick Random_, ch. 53. '"I protes
- 328 _The New Foundling Hospital for Wit_, i. 129. According to Northcote (_Life of Reynolds_, i. 217), 'Dr. Goldsmith declared, in the heat of his admiration of these _Cross Readings_, it would have given him more pleasure to have been the author of them
- 329 Horace Walpole wrote on Aug. 4 of that year (_ib_. p. 235):--'Well!adieu to Houghton! about its mad master I shall never trouble myself more. From the moment he came into possession, he has undermined every act of my father that was within his reach,
- 330 [1076] _Anec_. p. 63. BOSWELL.[1077] 'Johnson one day, on seeing an old terrier lie asleep by the fire-side at Streatham, said, "Presto, you are, if possible, a more lazy dog that I am."' Johnson's _Works_, ed. 1787, xi. 203.[1078
- 331 Once, upon reading that line in the curious epitaph quoted in _The Spectator;_ 'Born in New-England, did in London die;'he laughed and said, 'I do not wonder at this. It would have been strange, if born in London, he had died in New-England
- 332 Johnson. His father built the corner-house in the Market-place, the two fronts of which, towards Market and Broad-market-street, stood upon waste land of the Corporation, under a forty years' lease, which was then expired. On the 15th of August, 1767
- 333 'Aristotle's _Ethicks_, an English translation of them, with notes.'Geographical Dictionary, from the French.'Hierocles upon Pythagoras, translated into English, perhaps with notes.This is done by Norris.'A book of Letters, upon a
- 334 p. 68 thus speaks of that learned, ingenious, and accomplished gentleman: 'The want of company is an inconvenience: but Mr. c.u.mberland is a million.' BOSWELL. Northcote, according to Hazlitt (_Conversations of Northcote_, p. 275), said that Jo
- 335 [1199] 'He would also,' says Hawkins (_Life_, p. 579), 'have written in Latin verse an epitaph for Mr. Garrick, but found himself unequal to the task of original poetic composition in that language.'[1200] In his _Life of Browne_, John
- 336 'Signed, sealed, published, declared, and delivered, by the said Samuel Johnson, as, and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, in his presence, and at his request, and also in the presence of each other, have heret
- 337 [1255] _British Synonymy_, i. 359. Mrs. Piozzi, to add to the wonder, says that these verses were 'improviso,' forgetting that Johnson wrote to her on Aug 8, 1780 (_Piozzi Letters_, ii. 175):--'You have heard in the papers how --- is come t
- 338 'In justice to the late Mr. Flood, now himself wanting, and highly meriting, an epitaph from his country, to which his transcendent talents did the highest honour, as well as the most important service; it should be observed that these lines were by
- 339 Life Of Johnson.Volume 5.by Boswell.DEDICATION._TO EDMOND MALONE, ESQ._ MY DEAR SIR, In every narrative, whether historical or biographical, authenticity is of the utmost consequence[1]. Of this I have ever been so firmly persuaded, that I inscribed a for
- 340 Boswell. This was one of Dr. Johnson's best days. He was quite in his element. All was literature and taste, without any interruption. Lord Hailes, who is one of the best philologists in Great Britain, who has written papers in _The World_[134], and
- 341 The professors entertained us with a very good dinner. Present: Murison, Shaw, Cook, Hill, Haddo, Watson, Flint, Brown. I observed, that I wondered to see him eat so well, after viewing so many sorrowful scenes of ruined religious magnificence. 'Why,
- 342 "Beauclerk has a keenness of mind which is very uncommon." JOHNSON.'Yes, Sir; and everything comes from him so easily. It appears to me that I labour, when I say a good thing.' BOSWELL. 'You are loud, Sir; but it is not an effort
- 343 Dr. Gerard told us that an eminent printer[288] was very intimate with Warburton. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, he has printed some of his works, and perhaps bought the property of some of them. The intimacy is such as one of the professors here may have with
- 344 Dr. Johnson said, 'It is a pity to see Lord Monboddo publish such notions as he has done; a man of sense, and of so much elegant learning.There would be little in a fool doing it; we should only laugh; but when a wise man does it, we are sorry. Other
- 345 At three the drum beat for dinner. I, for a little while, fancied myself a military man, and it pleased me. We went to Sir Eyre Coote's, at the governour's house, and found him a most gentleman-like man. His lady is a very agreeable woman, with
- 346 I talked of the officers whom we had left to-day; how much service they had seen, and how little they got for it, even of fame. JOHNSON. 'Sir, a soldier gets as little as any man can get.' BOSWELL. 'Goldsmith has acquired more fame than all
- 347 In the year of our Lord 1766, The 25th of his life, After a long and extremely painful illness, Which he supported with admirable patience and fort.i.tude, He died at Rome, Where, notwithstanding the difference of religion, Such extraordinary honours were
- 348 Dr. Johnson asked him as to _Fingal_. He said he could repeat some pa.s.sages in the original, that he heard his grandfather had a copy of it; but that he could not affirm that Ossian composed all that poem as it is now published. This came pretty much to
- 349 'DEAR BOSWELL, 'I flew to Edinburgh the moment I heard of Mr. Johnson's arrival; but so defective was my intelligence, that I came too late. 'It is but justice to believe, that I could never forgive myself, nor deserve to be forgiven b
- 350 But all these orders were only blinds; for he had another plan in his head, but wisely thought it safest to trust his secrets to no more persons than was absolutely necessary. Having then desired Malcolm to walk with him a little way from the house, he so
- 351 Burke has great information, and great command of language; though, in my opinion, it has not in every respect the highest elegance.' BOSWELL.'Do you think, Sir, that Burke has read Cicero much?' JOHNSON. 'I don't believe it, Sir.
- 352 After breakfast, he said to me, 'A Highland Chief should now endeavour to do every thing to raise his rents, by means of the industry of his people. Formerly, it was right for him to have his house full of idle fellows; they were his defenders, his s
- 353 'Government (said he) has deprived us of our ancient power; but it cannot deprive us of our domestick satisfactions. I would rather drink punch in one of their houses, (meaning the houses of his people,) than be enabled by their hards.h.i.+ps to have
- 354 This evening one of our married ladies, a lively pretty little woman, good-humouredly sat down upon Dr. Johnson's knee, and, being encouraged by some of the company, put her hands round his neck, and kissed him.'Do it again, (said he,) and let u
- 355 SAt.u.r.dAY, OCTOBER 2.Dr. Johnson said, that 'a Chief and his Lady should make their house like a court. They should have a certain number of the gentlemen's daughters to receive their education in the family, to learn pastry and such things fr
- 356 After a sufficiency of sleep, we a.s.sembled at breakfast. We were just as if in barracks. Every body was master. We went and viewed the old castle of Col, which is not far from the present house, near the sh.o.r.e, and founded on a rock. It has never bee
- 357 There are several districts of sandy desart in Col. There are forty-eight lochs of fresh water; but many of them are very small,--meer pools. About one half of them, however, have trout and eel. There is a great number of horses in the island, mostly of a
- 358 After dinner, we proceeded to Dr. M'Lean's, which was about a mile from our inn. He was not at home, but we were received by his lady and daughter, who entertained us so well, that Dr. Johnson seemed quite happy. When we had supped, he asked me
- 359 Luxerat ilia dies, legis gens docta supernae Spes hominum ac curas c.u.m procul esse jubet, Ponti inter strepitus sacri non munera cultus Cessarunt; pietas hic quoque cura fuit: Quid quod sacrifici versavit femina libros, Legitimas faciunt pectora pura pr
- 360 JOHNSON. 'Sir, if it were told as shortly, and with as little preparation for introducing the different events, as the History of the Jewish Kings, it would be equally liable to objections of improbability.' Mr. M'Leod was much pleased with
- 361 'Now for the Epitaphs![_These, together with the verses on George the Second, and Colley Cibber, as his Poet Laureat, of which imperfect copies are gone about, will appear in my Life of Dr. Johnson[939]._]'I have no more paper, or I should have
- 362 He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; then added, 'And, after this, comes Johnny Home, with his _earth gaping_, and his _destruction crying_:--Pooh[971]!'While we were lamenting the number of ruined religious buildings which we had
- 363 Johnson wrote a long letter upon the subject to a friend, which being shewn to them, made them ashamed, and afraid of being publickly exposed; so they were forced to a compliance. It is now in my possession, and is, perhaps, one of the best productions of
- 364 'Quod petis, hic est; Est Ulubris; animus si te non deficit aequus[1035].'It is characteristick of the founder; but the _animus aequus_ is, alas!not inheritable, nor the subject of devise. He always talked to me as if it were in a man's own
- 365 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11.Princ.i.p.al Robertson came to us as we sat at breakfast, he advanced to Dr. Johnson, repeating a line of Virgil, which I forget. I suppose, either Post varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum[1077]-- or --multum ille et terris jactat
- 366 'They who search for faults, may possibly find them in this, as well as in every other work of literature.'For example, the friends of the old family say that _the aera of planting_ is placed too late, at the Union of the two kingdoms[1125]. I a
- 367 'DEAR SIR, 'Mr. Boswell has this day shewn me a letter, in which you complain of a pa.s.sage in _The Journey to the Hebrides._ My meaning is mistaken. I did not intend to say that you had personally made any cession of the rights of your house,
- 368 Quidni! peremptum clade tuentibus Plus semper illo qui moritur pati Datur, doloris dum profundos Pervia mens aperit recessus.Valete luctus;--hinc lacrymabiles Arcete visus:--ibimus, ibimus Superbienti qua theatro Fingaliae memorantur aulae.Ill.u.s.tris ho
- 369 On the road I read Tully's _Epistles_.At night at Dunstable.To Lichfield, 83 miles.To the Swan[1161].JULY 7.To Mrs. Porter's[1162].To the Cathedral.To Mrs. Aston's.To Mr. Green's.Mr. Green's Museum was much admired, and Mr. Newton
- 370 We went then to the silk mill at Derby[1178], where I remarked a particular manner of propagating motion from a horizontal to a vertical wheel.We were desired to leave the men only two s.h.i.+llings. Mr. Thrale's bill at the inn for dinner was eighte
- 371 The town consists of one main street, and some that cross it, which I have not seen. The chief street ascends with a quick rise for a great length: the houses are built, some with rough stone, some with brick, and a few are of timber.The Castle, with its
- 372 OBSERVATIONS.Dixit injustus, Ps. 36, has no relation to the English[1212].Preserve us, Lord, has the name of Robert Wisedome, 1618.--Barker's _Bible_[1213].Battologiam ab iteratione, recte distinguit Erasmus.--_Mod. Orandi Deum_, p. 56-144[1214].Sout
- 373 We surveyed the Churches, which are mean, and neglected to a degree scarcely imaginable. They have no pavement, and the earth is full of holes. The seats are rude benches; the Altars have no rails. One of them has a breach in the roof. On the desk, I thin
- 374 We went to Hagley, where we were disappointed of the respect and kindness that we expected[1240].SEPTEMBER 17.We saw the house and park, which equalled my expectation. The house is one square ma.s.s. The offices are below. The rooms of elegance on the fir
- 375 [22] Afterwards Lord Stowell. He, his brother Lord Eldon, and Chambers were all Newcastle men. See _ante_, i. 462, for an anecdote of the journey and for a note on 'the Commons.'[23] See _ante_, ii. 453.[24] See _ante_, iv. III.[25] Baretti, in
- 376 "Never mind, la.s.sie," he said; "many a better man has been made a saint of before."' J.H. Burton's _Hume_, ii. 436.[66] The House of Lords reversed the decision of the Court of Session in this cause. See _ante_, ii.50, 230.
- 377 again italicising these two words.[102] See _ante_, iii. 410.[103] See _ante_, i. 354.[104] c.o.c.kburn (_Life of Jeffrey_, i. 182) writing of the beginning of this century, describes how the General a.s.sembly 'met in those days, as it had done for
- 378 [142] Dr. A Carlyle (_Auto._ p. 114) tells how in 1745 he found 'Professor Maclaurin busy on the walls on the south side of Edinburgh, endeavoring to make them more defensible [against the Pretender]. He had even erected some small cannon.' See
- 379 _'The a.s.sembly-man_ (or the character of an a.s.sembly-man) written 1647, _Lond._ 1662-3, in three sheets in qu. The copy of it was taken from the author by those who said they could not rob, because all was theirs; so excised what they liked not;
- 380 [205] Horace, _Odes_, ii. 14. 1.[206] John Abernethy, a Presbyterian divine. His works in 7 vols. 8vo.were published in 1740-51.[207] Leechman was princ.i.p.al of Glasgow University (_post_, Oct. 29). On his appointment to the Chair of Theology he had bee
- 381 Dr. Johnson maintained the superiority of Homer. BOSWELL. Johnson told Windham that he had never read through the Odyssey in the original.Windham's _Diary_, p. 17. See _ante_, iii. 193, and May 1, 1783.[248] Johnson ten years earlier told Boswell tha
- 382 [279] Mr. Langton. See _ante_, ii. 254, 265.[280] Spedding's _Bacon_, vii. 271. The poem is also given in _The Golden Treasury_, p. 37; where, however, 'limns _the_ water' is changed into 'limns _on_ water.'[281] 'Addison now
- 383 [305] 'In 1745 my friend, Tom c.u.mming the Quaker, said he would not fight, but he would drive an ammunition cart.' _Ante_, April 28, 1783.Smollett (_History of England_, iv. 293) describes how, in 1758, the conquest of Senegal was due to this
- 384 [345] See _ante_, ii. 344, where Johnson says:--'A judge may be a farmer, but he is not to geld his own pigs.'[346]'Not to admire is all the art I know To make men happy and to keep them so.'Pope, _Imitations of Horace_, Epistles, i. v
- 385 [372] See _ post_, Sept. 13 and 28.[373] Mr. Trevelyan (_Life of Macaulay_, ed.1877, i. 6) says: 'Johnson p.r.o.nounced that Mr. Macaulay was not competent to have written the book that went by his name; a decision which, to those who happen to have
- 386 [418] 'The way was very pleasant; the rock out of which the road was cut was covered with birch trees, fern, and heath. The lake below was beating its bank by a gentle wind.... In one part of the way we had trees on both sides for perhaps half a mile
- 387 [454] See _ante_, i. 449.[455] See _ante_, ii. 99.[456] See _ante_, iii 198, note 1.[457] 'Such is the laxity of Highland conversation, that the inquirer is kept in continual suspense, and by a kind of intellectual retrogradation knows less as he hea
- 388 [493] Such spells are still believed in. A lady of property in Mull, a friend of mine, had a few years since much difficulty in rescuing from the superst.i.tious fury of the people, an old woman, who used a _charm_ to injure her neighbour's cattle. I
- 389 [533] A term in Scotland for a special messenger, such as was formerly sent with dispatches by the lords of the council.[534] Yet he said of him:--'There is nothing _conclusive_ in his talk.'_Ante_ iii. 57.[535] 'I believe every man has fou
- 390 [569] See _ante_, i. 353, note 1.[570] Ovid, _Ars Amatoria_, iii. 121.[571]'This facile temper of the beauteous s.e.x Great Agamemnon, brave Pelides proved.'These two lines follow the four which Boswell quotes. _Agis_, act iv.[572] _Agis_, a tra
- 391 [611] Genius is chiefly exerted in historical pictures; and the art of the painter of portraits is often lost in the obscurity of his subject.But it is in painting as in life; what is greatest is not always best. I should grieve to see Reynolds transfer t
- 392 [646] 'Wheel carriages they have none, but make a frame of timber, which is drawn by one horse, with the two points behind pressing on the ground. On this they sometimes drag home their sheaves, but often convey them home in a kind of open pannier, o
- 393 It is remarkable that this postscript is so expressed, as not to point out the person who said that Mrs. Thrale could not get through Mrs.Montague's book; and therefore I think it necessary to remind Mrs.Piozzi, that the a.s.sertion concerning her wa
- 394 [715] See _ante_, iv. 176.[716]'If ev'ry wheel of that unwearied mill That turned ten thousand verses now stands still.'_Imitations of Horace, 2 Epis._ ii. 78.[717] _Ante_, p. 206.[718]'Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine captos Ducit.&#
- 395 [743] See _ante_, ii. 61, 335; iii. 375, and _post_, under Nov. 11.[744] Beattie had attacked Hume in his _Essay on Truth_ (_ante_, ii. 201 and v. 29). Reynolds this autumn had painted Beattie in his gown of an Oxford Doctor of Civil Law, with his _Essay_
- 396 Cunningham to be 'the earliest good political caricature that we possess.' Walpole's _Letters_, i. 66. Mr. Croker says that 'the exact words are:-- bony? O he be de great orator Little-Tony.'[776] See _ante_, ii. 213.[777] In 1673
- 397 [813] See ante, p. 162, note 1.[814] 'In Col only two houses pay the window tax; for only two have six windows, which, I suppose, are the laird's and Mr. Macsweyn's.'Johnson's _Works_, ix. 125. 'The window tax, as it stands a
- 398 viii. 274), speaks of Spence as 'a man whose learning was not very great, and whose mind was not very powerful. His criticism, however, was commonly just; what he thought he thought rightly; and his remarks were recommended by his coolness and candou
- 399 [884] Boswell tells this story again, _ante_, ii. 299. Mrs. Piozzi's account (_Anec_. p. 114) is evidently so inaccurate that it does not deserve attention; she herself admits that Beauclerk was truthful. In a marginal note on Wraxall's _Memoirs
- 400 [918] A horrible place it was. Johnson describes it (_Works_, ix. 152) as 'a deep subterraneous cavity, walled on the sides, and arched on the top, into which the descent is through a narrow door, by a ladder or a rope.'[919] See _ante_, p. 177.