Etat. 68. 1777. Eglintoune put it into mine. I am glad that Mr. Macbean approves of it. I have received Mr. Shaw's proposals for its publication, which I can perceive are written by the hand of a MASTER. * * Pray get for me all the editions of Walton's Lives.' I have a notion that the republication of them with Notes will fall upon me, between Dr. Horne and Lord Hailes."4 Mr. Shaw's proposals + for "An Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language," were thus illuminated by the pen of Johnson: "THOUGH the Erse Dialect of the Celtic language has, from the earliest times, been spoken in Britain, and still subsists in the northern parts and adjacent islands, yet, by the negligence of a people rather warlike than lettered, it has hitherto been left to the caprice and judgement of every speaker, and has floated in the living voice, without the steadiness of analogy, or direction of rules. An Erse Grammar is an addition to the stores of literature; and its authour hopes for the indulgence always shewn to those that attempt to do what was never done before. If his work shall be found defective, it is at least all his own: he is not like other grammarians, a compiler or transcriber; what he delivers, he has learned by attentive observation among his countrymen, who * [None of the persons here mentioned executed the work which they had in contemplation. Walton's valuable book, however, has been correctly republished in quarto and octavo, with notes and illustrations, by the Rev. Mr. Zouch. MALONE.] perhaps will be themselves surprized to see that speech reduced to principles, which they have used only by imitation. "The use of this book, will, however, not be confined to the mountains and islands: it will afford a pleasing and important subject of speculation, to those whose studies lead them to trace the affinity of languages, and the migrations of the ancient races of mankind." 1777. Ætat. 68. "TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. "MY DEAR SIR, "Glasgow, April 24, 1777. "OUR worthy friend Thrale's death having appeared in the news-papers, and been afterwards contradicted, I have been placed in a state of very uneasy uncertainty, from which I hoped to be relieved by you but my hopes have as yet been vain. How could you omit to write to me on such an occasion. I shall wait with anxiety. "I am going to Auchinleck to stay a fortnight with my father. It is better not to be there very long at one time. But frequent renewals of attention are agreeable to him. Pray tell me about this edition of The English Poets, with a Preface, biographical and critical, to each Authour, by Samuel Johnson, LL. D. which I see advertised. I am delighted with the prospect of it. Indeed I am happy to feel that I am capable of being so much delighted with literature. But is not the charm of this publication chiefly owing to the magnum nomen in the front of it? "What do you say of Lord Chesterfield's Memoirs and last Letters ? 1777. "My wife has made marmalade of oranges for Etat. 68. you. I left her and my daughters and Alexander all well yesterday. I have taught Veronica to speak of you thus ;-Dr. Johnson, not Johnston. I remain, my dear Sir, "Your most affectionate, DEAR SIR, "And obliged humble servant, TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "THE story of Mr. Thrale's death, as he had neither been sick nor in any other danger, made so little impression upon me, that I never thought about obviating its effects on any body else. It is supposed to have been produced by the English custom of making April fools, that is, of sending one another on some foolish errand on the first of April. "Tell Mrs. Boswell that I shall taste her marmalade cautiously at first. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. Beware, says the Italian proverb, of a reconciled enemy. But when I find it does me no harm, I shall then receive it and be thankful for it, as a pledge of firm, and, I hope, of unalterable kindness. She is, after all, a dear, dear lady. "Please to return Dr. Blair thanks for his sermons. The Scotch write English wonderfully well. * "Your frequent visits to Auchinleck, and your short stay there, are very, laudable and very judicious. Your present concord with your father gives me great pleasure; it was all that you seemed to want. "My health is very bad, and my nights are very unquiet. What can I do to mend them? I have 1777. for this summer nothing better in prospect than a Etat. 68. journey into Staffordshire and Derbyshire, perhaps with Oxford and Birmingham in my way. "Make my compliments to Miss Veronica; I must leave it to her philosophy to comfort you for the loss of little David. You must remember, that to keep three out of four is more than your share. Mrs. Thrale has but four out of eleven. "I am engaged to write little Lives, and little Prefaces, to a little edition of the English Poets. I think I have persuaded the booksellers to insert something of Thomson; and if you could give me some information about him, for the life which we have is very scanty, I should be glad. I am, dear Sir, "Your most affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "May 3, 1777. To those who delight in tracing the progress of works of literature, it will be an entertainment to compare the limited design with the ample execution of that admirable performance, "The lives of the English Poets," which is the richest, most beautiful, and indeed most perfect, production of Johnson's pen. His notion of it at this time appears in the preceding letter. He has a memorandum in this year. "29 May, Easter-Eve, I treated with booksellers on a bargain, but the time was not long.' The bargain was concerning that undertaking; but his tender conscience seems alarmed, lest it should have intruded too much on his devout preparation for the solemnity of the ensuing day. But, indeed, s Prayers and Meditations, p. 155. 995 1777. very little time was necessary for Johnson's concludEtat. 68. ing a treaty with the booksellers; as he had, I be lieve, less attention to profit from his labours, than any man to whom literature has been a profession. I shall here insert from a letter to me from my late worthy friend Mr. Edward Dilly, though of a later date, an account of this plan so happily conceived since it was the occasion of procuring for us an elegant collection of the best biography and criticism of which our language can boast. 66 TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "DEAR SIR, your ; "Southill, Sept. 26, 1777. "You find by this letter, that I am still in the same calm retreat, from the noise and bustle of London, as when I wrote to you last. I am happy to find you had such an agreeable meeting with your old friend Dr. Johnson; I have no doubt stock is much increased by the interview; few men, nay I may say, scarcely any man has got that fund of knowledge and entertainment as Dr. Johnson in conversation. When he opens freely, every one is attentive to what he says, and cannot fail of improvement as well as pleasure. "The edition of the Poets, now printing, will do honour to the English press; and a concise account of the life of each authour, by Dr. Johnson, will be a very valuable addition, and stamp the reputation of this edition superiour to any thing that is gone before. The first cause that gave rise to this undertaking, I believe, was owing to the little trifling edition of the Poets, printing by the Martins at Edinburgh, and to be sold by Bell, in London. Upon examining the volumes which were printed, the type |