extremity of the gaol, which was most distant from 1780.

the fire. Having by this very judicious conduct
fully satisfied them that there was no immediate risk,
if any at all, he then addressed them thus: " Gen-
tlemen, you are now convinced that I told you true.
I have no doubt that the engines will soon extinguish
this fire; if they should not, a sufficient guard will
come, and you shall be all taken out and lodged in
the Compters. I assure you, upon my word and
honour, that I have not a farthing insured. I have
left my house that I might take care of you. I will
keep my promise, and stay with if
you you insist
upon it; but if you will allow me to go out and look

after my family and property, I shall be obliged to
you." Struck with his behaviour, they called out,
"Master Akerman, you have done bravely; it was
very kind in you: by all means go and take care of
your own concerns.' He did so accordingly, while
they remained, and were all preserved.

99

Johnson has been heard to relate the substance of this story with high praise, in which he was joined by Mr. Burke. My illustrious friend, speaking of Mr. Akerman's kindness to his prisoners, pronounced this eulogy upon his character:-" He who has long had constantly in his view the worst of mankind, and is yet eminent for the humanity of his disposition, must have had it originally in a great degree, and continued to cultivate it very carefully."

In the course of this month my brother David waited upon Dr. Johnson, with the following letter of introduction, which I had taken care should be lying ready on his arrival in London.

HH 2

Etat. 71,

TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Edinburgh, April 29, 1780.

"THIS will be delivered to you by my brother

You will be glad stand by the old

David, on his return from Spain.
to see the man who vowed to
castle of Auchinleck, with heart, purse, and sword;'
that romantick family solemnity devised by me, of
which you and I talked with complacency upon the
spot. I trust that twelve years of absence have not
lessened his feudal attachment; and that you will
find him worthy of being introduced to your ac-
quaintance.

"I have the honour to be,

"With affectionate veneration,

"My dear Sir,

"Your most faithful humble servant,
"JAMES BOSWELL."

Johnson received him very politely, and has thus mentioned him in a letter to Mrs. Thrale: "I have had with me a brother of Boswell's, a Spanish merchant, whom the war has driven from his residence at Valencia; he is gone to see his friends, and will find Scotland but a sorry place after twelve years' residence in a happier climate. He is a very agreeable man, and speaks no Scotch."

* Vol. II. p. 163. Mrs. Piozzi has omitted the name, she best knows why.

• Now settled in London.

SIR,

"TO DR. BEAttie, at aberdeen.

"MORE years1 than I have any delight to reckon, have past since you and I saw one another of this, however, there is no reason for making any reprehensory complaint :-Sic fata ferunt. But methinks there might pass some small interchange of regard between us. If you say, that I ought to have written, I now write; and I write to tell you, that I have much kindness for you and Mrs. Beattie; and that I wish your health better, and your life long. Try change of air, and come a few degrees Southwards; a softer climate may do you both good; winter is coming in; and London will be warmer, and gayer, and busier, and more fertile of amusement, than Aberdeen.

"My health is better; but that will be little in the balance, when I tell you that Mrs. Montagu has been very ill, and is, I doubt, now but weakly. Mr. Thrale has been very dangerously disordered; but is much better, and I hope will totally recover. He has withdrawn himself from business the whole summer, Sir Joshua and his sister are well; and Mr. Davies has got great success as an authour, generated by

' I had been five years absent from London.

2

2

BEATTIE.

Meaning his entertaining" Memoirs of David Garrick, Esq." of which Johnson (as Davies informed me) wrote the first sentence; thus giving, as it were, the key-note to the performance. It is, indeed, very characteristical of its authour, beginning with a maxim, and proceeding to illustrate.-" All excellence has a right to be recorded. I shall, therefore, think it superfluous to apologize for writing the life of a man, who, by an uncommon assemblage of private virtues, adorned the highest eminence in a publick profession.”

1780.

Ætat. 71.

Ætat. 71.

1780. the corruption of a bookseller. More news I have not to tell you, and therefore you must be contented with hearing, what I know not whether you much wish to hear," that I am, Sir,

"Your most humble servant,

Bolt-Court, Fleet-street,

August 21, 1780.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

66 TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

"DEAR SIR,

"I FIND you have taken one of your fits of taciturnity, and have resolved not to write till you are written to; it is but a peevish humour, but you shall have your way.

"I have sat at home in Bolt-court, all the summer, thinking to write the Lives, and a great part of the time only thinking. Several of them, however, are done, and I still think to do the rest.

"Mr. Thrale and his family have, since his illness, passed their time first at Bath, and then at Brighthelmston; but I have been at neither place. I would have gone to Lichfield if I could have had time, and I might have had time if I had been active; but I have missed much, and done little.

"In the late disturbances, Mr. Thrale's house and stock were in great danger; the mob was pacified at their first invasion, with about fifty pounds in drink and meat; and at their second, were driven away by the soldiers. Mr. Strahan got a garrison into his house, and maintained them a fortnight; he was so

3 I wish he had omitted the suspicion expressed here, though I believe he meant nothing but jocularity; for, though he and I differed sometimes in opinion, he well knew how much I loved and revered him. BEATTIE.

frighted, that he removed part of his goods. Mrs. 1780. Williams took shelter in the country.

"I know not whether I shall get a ramble this autumn; it is now about the time when we were travelling. I have, however, better health than I had then, and hope you and I may yet shew ourselves on some part of Europe, Asia, or Africa. In the mean time let us play no trick, but keep each other's kindness by all means in our power.

"The bearer of this is Dr. Dunbar of Aberdeen, who has written and published a very ingenious book," and who I think has a kindness for me, and will, when he knows you, have a kindness for you.

"I suppose your little ladies are grown tall; and your son has become a learned young man. I love them all, and I love your naughty lady, whom I never shall persuade to love me. When the Lives are done, I shall send them to complete her collection, but must send them in paper, as for want of a pattern, I cannot bind them to fit the rest.

"I am, Sir,

"Yours most affectionately,

Etat. 71.

"London, Aug. 21, 1780.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

༈ །

4 It will no doubt be remarked how he avoids the rebellious land of America. This puts me in mind of an anecdote for which I am obliged to my worthy social friend, Governour Richard Penn: "At one of Miss E. Hervey's assemblies, Dr. Johnson was following her up and down the room; upon which Lord Abington observed to her, 'Your great friend is very fond of you; you can go no where without him.'-' Ay, (said she,) he would follow me to any part of the world.' Then (said the Earl,) ask him to go with you to America.”

"Essays on the History of Mankind."