Life of Johnson
Chapter 338 : 'In justice to the late Mr. Flood, now himself wanting, and highly meriting, an e

'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 no means intended as a regular monumental inscription for Dr. Johnson. Had he undertaken to write an appropriated and discriminative epitaph for that excellent and extraordinary man, those who knew Mr. Flood's vigour of mind, will have no doubt that he would have produced one worthy of his ill.u.s.trious subject. But the fact was merely this: In Dec. 1789, after a large subscription had been made for Dr. Johnson's monument, to which Mr.

Flood liberally contributed, Mr. Malone happened to call on him at his house, in Berners-street, and the conversation turning on the proposed monument, Mr. Malone maintained that the epitaph, by whomsoever it should be written, ought to be in Latin. Mr. Flood thought differently.

The next morning, in the postscript to a note on another subject, he mentioned that he continued of the same opinion as on the preceding day, and subjoined the lines above given.' BOSWELL. Cowper also composed an epitaph for Johnson--though not one of much merit. See Southey's _Cowper_, v. 119.

[1285] As I do not see any reason to give a different character of my ill.u.s.trious friend now, from what I formerly gave, the greatest part of the sketch of him in my _Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides_, is here adopted. BOSWELL.

[1286] See _ante_, i. 41.

[1287] For his fox-hunting see _ante_, i. 446, note I.

[1288] _Lucretius_, i. 72.

[1289] See ante, i. 406.

[1290] 'He was always indulgent to the young, he never attacked the una.s.suming, nor meant to terrify the diffident.' Mme. D'Arblay's _Diary_ ii. 343.

[1291] In the _Olla Podrida_, a collection of Essays published at Oxford, there is an admirable paper upon the character of Johnson, written by the Reverend Dr. Home, the last excellent Bishop of Norwich.

The following pa.s.sage is eminently happy: 'To reject wisdom, because the person of him who communicates it is uncouth, and his manners are inelegant;--what is it, but to throw away a pine-apple, and a.s.sign for a reason the roughness of its coat?' BOSWELL. The _Olla Podrida_ was published in weekly numbers in 1787 8. Boswell's quotation is from No. 13.

[1292] 'The _English Dictionary_ was written ... amidst inconvenience distraction, in sickness and in sorrow.' Preface to Johnson's _Dictionary, Works_, v. 51.

[1293] 'For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.' _Luke_, xii. 48.

[1294] 'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.' I _Corinthians_, xv. 19.

[1295] See ante, ii. 262, note 2.

[1296] Though a perfect resemblance of Johnson is not to be found in any age, parts of his character are admirably expressed by Clarendon in drawing that of Lord Falkland, whom the n.o.ble and masterly historian describes at his seat near Oxford;--'Such an immenseness of wit, such a solidity of judgement, so infinite a fancy, bound in by a most logical ratiocination.--His acquaintance was cultivated by the most polite and accurate men, so that his house was an University in less volume, whither they came, not so much for repose as study, and to examine and refine those grosser propositions, which laziness and consent made current in conversation.'

Bayle's account of Menage may also be quoted as exceedingly applicable to the great subject of this work:--'His ill.u.s.trious friends erected a very glorious monument to him in the collection ent.i.tled Menagiana.

Those who judge of things aright, will confess that this collection is very proper to shew the extent of genius and learning which was the character of Menage. And I may be bold to say, that _the excellent works he published will not distinguish him from other learned men so advantageously as this_. To publish books of great learning, to make Greek and Latin verses exceedingly well turned, is not a common talent, I own; neither is it extremely rare, It is incomparably more difficult to find men who can furnish discourse about an infinite number of things, and who can diversify them an hundred ways. How many authours are there, who are admired for their works, on account of the vast learning that is displayed in them, who are not able to sustain a conversation. Those who know Menage only by his books, might think he resembled those learned men; but if you shew the MENAGIANA, you distinguish him from them, and make him known by a talent which is given to very few learned men. There it appears that he was a man who spoke off-hand a thousand good things. His memory extended to what was ancient and modern; to the court and to the city; to the dead and to the living languages; to things serious and things jocose; in a word, to a thousand sorts of subjects. That which appeared a trifle to some readers of the _Menagiana_, who did not consider circ.u.mstances, caused admiration in other readers, who minded the difference between what a man speaks without preparation, and that which he prepares for the press. And, therefore, we cannot sufficiently commend the care which his ill.u.s.trious friends took to erect a monument so capable of giving him immortal glory. They were not obliged to rectify what they had heard him say; for, in so doing, they had not been faithful historians of his conversations.' BOSWELL. Boswell's quotation from Clarendon (ed. 1826, iv. 242) differs somewhat from the original.

[1297] See _ante_, ii. 326, and iv. 236.

[1298] See _ante_, p. iii.

[1299] To this finely-drawn character we may add the n.o.ble testimony of Sir Joshua Reynolds:--'His pride had no meanness in it; there was nothing little or mean about him.' Taylor's _Reynolds_, ii. 457.

[1300] In Johnson's character of Boerhaave there is much that applies equally well to himself. 'Thus died Boerhaave, a man formed by nature for great designs, and guided by religion in the exertion of his abilities. He was of a robust and athletick const.i.tution of body, so hardened by early severities and wholesome fatigue that he was insensible of any sharpness of air, or inclemency of weather. He was tall, and remarkable for extraordinary strength. There was in his air and motion something rough and artless, but so majestick and great at the same time, that no man ever looked upon him without veneration, and a kind of tacit submission to the superiority of his genius.... He was never soured by calumny and detraction, nor ever thought it necessary to confute them; "for they are sparks," said he, "which, if you do not blow them, will go out of themselves."... He was not to be overawed or depressed by the presence, frowns, or insolence of great men; but persisted, on all occasions, in the right with a resolution always present and always calm.... Nor was he unacquainted with the art of recommending truth by elegance, and embellis.h.i.+ng the philosopher with polite literature.... He knew the importance of his own writings to mankind, and lest he might by a roughness and barbarity of style, too frequent among men of great learning, disappoint his own intentions, and make his labours less useful, he did not neglect the politer arts of eloquence and poetry. Thus was his learning at once various and exact, profound and agreeable.... He a.s.serted on all occasions the divine authority and sacred efficacy of the holy Scriptures; and maintained that they alone taught the way of salvation, and that they only could give peace of mind.' Johnson's _Works_, vi. 288.

[1301] Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was born at Plympton.

[1302] See _ante,_ iii. 43, note 3.

THE END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.