Pemb. Pearson able to give his friends new entertainment. "TO MRS. LUCY PORTER, IN LICHFIELD. "4th May, 1779. "DEAR MADAM,-Mr. Green has informed me that you are much better; I hope I need not tell you that I am glad of it. I cannot boast of being much better; my old nocturnal complaint still pursues me, and my respiration is difficult, though much easier than when I left you the summer before last. Mr. and Mrs. Thrale are well; miss has been a little indisposed; but she is got well again. They have, since the loss of their boy, had two daughters; but they seem likely to want a son. "I hope you had some books which I sent you. I was sorry for poor Mrs. Adey's death, and am afraid you will be sometimes solitary; but endeavour, whether alone or in company, to keep yourself cheerful. My friends likewise die very fast; but such is the state of man. I am, dear love, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." He had, before I left London, resumed the conversation concerning the appearance of a ghost at Newcastle upon Tyne, which Mr. John Wesley believed, but to which Johnson did not give credit. I was, however, desirous to examine the question closely, and at the same time wished to be made acquainted with Mr. John Wesley; for though I differed from him in some points, I admired his various talents and loved his pious zeal. At my request, therefore, Dr. Johnson gave me a letter of introduction to him. 4 "TO THE REVEREND MR. JOHN WESLEY. "3d May, 1779. "SIR, Mr. Boswell, a gentleman who has been long known to me, is desirous of being known to you, and has asked this recommendation, which I give him with great willingness, because I think it very much to be wished that worthy and religious men should be acquainted with each other. I am, sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." Mr. Wesley being in the course of his ministry at Edinburgh, I presented this letter to him, and was very politely received. I begged to have it returned to me, which was accordingly done. His state of the evidence as to the ghost did not satisfy me. [He made this year his usual excursion into the ED. midland counties; but his visit was shortened by the alarming illness of Mr. Thrale.] ["TO MRS. THRALE. "Lichfield, 29th May, 1779. "I have now been here a week, and will try to give you my journal, or such parts of it as are fit, in my mind, for communication. "On Friday, We set out about twelve, and lay at Daventry. "On Saturday, We dined with Rann at Coventry. He intercepted us at the town's end. I saw Tom Johnson, who had hardly life to know that I was with him. I hear he is since dead. In the evening I came to Lucy, and walked to Stowhill. Mrs. Aston was gone or going to bed. I did not see her. 66 Sunday. After dinner I went to Stowhill, and was very kindly received. At night I saw my old friend Brodhurstyou know him—the playfellow of my infancy, and gave him a guinea. "Monday.-Dr. Taylor came, and we went with Mrs. Cobb to Greenhill Bower. I had not seen it, perhaps, for fifty years. It is much degenerated. Every thing grows old. Taylor is to fetch me next Saturday. "Mr. Green came to see us, and I ordered some physick. "Tuesday. Physick, and a little company. I dined, I think, with Lucy both Monday and Tuesday. "Wednesday, Thursday.-I had a few visits, from Peter Garrick among the rest, and dined at Stowhill. My breath very short. "Friday.-I dined at Stowhill. I have taken physick four days together. Saturday. Mrs. Aston took me out in her chaise, and was very kind. I dined with Mrs. Cobb, and came to Lucy, with whom I found, as I had done the first day, Lady Smith and Miss Vyse."] Letters, vol. ii. p. 45. Letters, vol. i. p. 47. p. 51. p. 54. ["TO MRS. THRALE. "Ashbourne, 14th June, 1779. "Your account of Mr. Thrale's illness is very terrible; but when I remember that he seems to have it peculiar to his constitution that whatever distemper he has, he always has his head affected—I am less frighted. The seizure was, I think, not apoplectical, but hysterical, and therefore not dangerous to life. I would have you, however, consult such physicians as you think you can best trust. Bromfield seems to have done well, and, by his practice, seems not to suspect an apoplexy. That is a solid and fundamental comfort. I remember Dr. Marsigli, an Italian physician, whose seizure was more violent than Mr. Thrale's, for he fell down helpless; but his case was not considered as of much danger, and he went safe home, and is now a professor at Padua. His fit was considered as only hysterical."] ["TO MRS. THRALE. "Ashbourne, 17th June, 1779. "Both Mrs. Aston and Dr. Taylor have had strokes of the ["TO HENRY THRALE, ESQ. "Lichfield, 23d June, 1779. [A serious apoplectic attack, which was the precursor of another of the same nature which terminated his existence in the course of the ensuing year.-ED.] ! give me. I came by it in a very uncommon manner, not confound it with the rest. and would Letters, "My wicked mistress talks as if she thought it possible for me to be indifferent or negligent about your health or hers. If I could have done any good, I had not delayed an hour to come to you, and I will come very soon to try if my advice can be of any use, or my company of any entertainment. "What can be done, you must do for yourself. Do not let any uneasy thought settle in your mind. Cheerfulness and exercise are your great remedies. Nothing is for the present worth your anxiety. Vivere læti is one of the great rules of health. I believe it will be good to ride often, but never to weariness; for weariness is itself a temporary resolution of the nerves, and is therefore to be avoided. Labour is exercise continued to fatigue; exercise is labour used only while it produces pleasure. "Above all, keep your mind quiet. Do not think with earnestness even of your health, but think on such things as may please without too much agitation; among which, I hope, is, dear sir, your, &c."] ["DR. JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. "27th July, 1779. “Dear madam,-I have sent what I can for your German friend'. At this time it is very difficult to get any money, and I cannot give much. I am, madam, your most affectionate and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."] I did not write to Johnson, as usual, upon my return to my family; but tried how he would be affected by my silence. Mr. Dilly sent me a copy of a note which he received from him on the 13th of July, in these words: "TO MR. DILLY. "SIR,-Since Mr. Boswell's departure, I have never heard from him. Please to send word what you know of him, and whether have sent you books to his lady. I am, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." my [It is due to the memory of Dr. Johnson's inexhaustible charity to insert this otherwise insignificant note. When he says that he cannot give much, let it be recollected, that his only fixed income was his pension of 3001. a year, and that he had four or five elemosynary inmates in his house.-ED.] vol. ii. P. 54. Reyn. MS. My readers will not doubt that his solicitude about me was very flattering. "TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "13th July, 1779. "DEAR SIR,—What can possibly have happened, that keeps us two such strangers to each other? I expected to have heard from you when you came home; I expected afterwards. I went into the country and returned; and yet there is no letter from Mr. Boswell. No ill, I hope, has happened; and if ill should happen, why should it be concealed from him who loves you? Is it a fit of humour, that has disposed you to try who can hold out longest without writing? If it be, you have the victory. But I am afraid of something bad; set me free from my suspicions. "My thoughts are at present employed in guessing the reason of your silence: : you must not expect that I should tell you any thing, if I had any thing to tell. Write, pray write to me, and let me know what is or what has been the cause of this long interruption. I am, dear sir, your most affectionate humble SAM. JOHNSON." servant, 66 "TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, 17th July, 1779. "MY DEAR SIR,-What may be justly denominated a supine indolence of mind has been my state of existence since I last returned to Scotland. In a livelier state I had often suffered severely from long intervals of silence on your part; and I had even been chid by you for expressing my uneasiness. I was willing to take advantage of my insensibility, and while I could bear the experiment, to try whether your affection for me would, after an unusual silence on my part, make you write first. This afternoon I have had a very high satisfaction by receiving your kind letter of inquiry, for which I most gratefully thank you. I am doubtful if it was right to make the experiment; though I have gained by it. I was beginning to grow tender, and to upbraid myself, especially after having dreamt two nights ago that I was with you. I, and my wife, and my four children, are all well. I would not delay one post to answer your letter; but as it is late, I have not time to do more. You shall soon hear from me, upon many and various particulars; and I shall never again put you to any test. I am, with veneration, dear sir, your most obliged and faithful humble servant, JAMES BOSWELL." my |