THE

WORKS

OF

Samuel Johnson, LL.D.

A NEW EDITION.

WITH

AN ESSAY ON HIS LIFE AND GENIUS,

BY ARTHUR MURPHY, Esq.

VOLUME THE THIRTEENTH,

FORMING THE FIRST VOLUME OF DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT.

LONDON:

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1811.

Printed by S. Hamilton, Weybridge.

PREFACE.

1810

V. 13

A COMPLEAT Collection of the writings of the late Dr. Samuel Johnson was desired by the publick with an ardour almost equal to the high opinion which was entertained of his talents and his morals. The London Booksellers undertook, in conjunction with the deceased's executors, to gratify this desire with an alacrity, which proceeded from a conviction how much their own interest would be promoted by punctual compliance.

But, from whatever cause, the present edition of the works of that great writer and illustrious moralist, does not comprehend his Parliamentary Debates, which, every competent judge must allow, exhibit a memorable specimen of the extent and promptitude of his faculties. These Debates, as the intelligent have for some time known, and as the world is now authentically told by the present historian of his life, were originally compiled for the Gentleman's Magazine. And these Orations, which have induced learned foreigners to compare British with ancient eloquence, were hastily sketched by Johnson, while he was not yet thirtytwo, while he was little acquainted with life, while he was struggling, not for distinction, but existence.

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The illuminations of Johnson's Oratory were however obscured by the jargon, which Cave thought it prudent to adopt, in order to avoid Parliamentary indignation. It is at length safe to substitute the real for the fictitious speakers. The present Editor thought it a duty he owed to the Author and the Reader, to lay aside the barbarous terms, which had been contrived as much by the vanity as the caution of Cave, that the finest sense might conspicuously appear in the most brilliant language. As these Debates appeared originally without any regard to chronological order, it was deemed respectful to the publick to restore this order, according to the dates when the real Debates actually happened; beginning with the first of Johnson's on the 19th of November 1740, and ending with his last, on the 23d of February 1742-3. That this beginning and this end to the Parliamentary effusions of this successful rival of ancient Orators have been properly adjusted, might be determined from the superiority of style to the speeches of Guthrie and Hawkesworth, the precursor and follower of Johnson in this department of compilation, if Sir John Hawkins had not fixed the dates from the diary of the friend, to whose memory he has paid a proper tribute, by doing justice to his virtues and his failings.

It is undoubtedly true, that the Parliamentary motions, which are contained in the following sheets, were made, and that they were supported and opposed by the assigned speakers: but, it must be acknowledged, that Johnson did not give so much what they respect

ively said, as what each ought to have said. These Debates, then, may be considered as so many distinct dramas, in which, on extraordinary occasions of publick expectation, known characters of considerable consequence were brought forward to act their particular parts. As dramas, these Debates have received a just eulogy by the remark of competent judges, how easy was to assign to every speaker his proper speech without knowing the name. As dramas, they may be perused by the old, who read for amusement rather than instruction.

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As Parliamentary Debates, these volumes may be regarded as still more useful: for, like the Orations of Cicero and Demosthenes, they ought to be studied by the British youth as specimens of splendid eloquence, nervous argument, and Parliamentary decorum. Though few can hope to rival Johnson's performances, every youth, who from his birth or fortune expects to sit in Parliament, ought to aim by studious perusal at Johnson's perfections in oratory and reasoning. And these volumes may be usefully inspected by every publick man for felicities of expression, for the structure of sentences, happy at once for point, dignity, and elegance.

Few of the collections of Parliamentary Debates can be justly regarded as much more authentick than Johnson's Orations. The most ancient are probably the most authentick. D'Ewes's Journals of Elizabeth's Parliaments, as they contain the oldest Parliamentary