The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [198]
‘I wish you were in my new study; I am now writing the first letter in it. I think it looks very pretty about me.
‘Dyer is constant at the club; Hawkins is remiss; I am not over diligent. Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, and Mr. Reynolds, are very constant. Mr. Lye is printing his Saxon and Gothick Dictionary; all the club subscribes.
‘You will pay my respects to all my Lincolnshire friends. I am, dear Sir, most affectionately yours,
‘March9,1766. ‘SAM. JOHNSON.’
Johnson’s-court, Fleet-street.’
‘To BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., at Langton, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire
‘DEAR SIR, – In supposing that I should be more than commonly affected by the death of Peregrine Langton,a you were not mistaken; he was one of those whom I loved at once by instinct and by reason. I have seldom indulged more hope of any thing than of being able to improve our acquaintance to friendship. Many a time have I placed myself again at Langton, and imagined the pleasure with which I should walk to Partneyb in a summer morning; but this is no longer possible. We must now endeavour to preserve what is left us, – his example of piety and æconomy. I hope you make what enquiries you can, and write down what is told you. The little things which distinguish domestick characters are soon forgotten: if you delay to enquire, you will have no information; if you neglect to write, information will be vain.c
‘His art of life certainly deserves to be known and studied. He lived in plenty and elegance upon an income which, to many would appear indigent, and to most, scanty. How he lived, therefore, every man has an interest in knowing. His death, I hope, was peaceful; it was surely happy.
‘I wish I had written sooner, lest, writing now, I should renew your grief; but I would not forbear saying what I have now said.
‘This loss is, I hope, the only misfortune of a family to whom no misfortune at all should happen, if my wishes could avert it. Let me know how you all go on. Has Mr. Langton got him the little horse that I recommended? It would do him good to ride about his estate in fine weather.
‘Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Langton, and to dear Miss Langton, and Miss Di, and Miss Juliet, and to every body else.
‘THE cLUB holds very well together. Monday is my night.a I continue to rise tolerably well, and read more than I did. I hope something will yet come on it. I am, Sir, your most affectionate servant,
‘May 10, 1766. ‘SAM. JOHNSON.’
Johnson’s-court, Fleet-street.’
After I had been some time in Scotland, I mentioned to him in a letter that ‘On my first return to my native country, after some years of absence, I was told of a vast number of my acquaintance who were all gone to the land of forgetfulness, and I found myself like a man stalking over a field of battle, who every moment perceives some one lying dead.’ I complained of irresolution, and mentioned my having made a vow as a security for good conduct. I wrote to him again, without being able to move his indolence; nor did I hear from him till he had received a copy of my inaugural Exercise, or Thesis in Civil Law, which I published at my admission as an Advocate, as is the custom in Scotland. He then wrote to me as follows:
‘To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
‘DEAR SIR, – The reception of your Thesis put me in mind of my debt to you. Why did you ∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗a I will punish you for it, by telling you that your Latin wants correction.b In the beginning, i>pei alterce, not to urge that it should be primce, is not grammatical: alterce should be alteri. In the next line you seem to use genus absolutely, for what we call family, that is, for illustrious extraction, I doubt without authority. Homines nullius originis, for Nullis orti majoribus, or, Nullo loco nati, is, I am afraid, barbarous. – Ruddiman is dead.
I have now vexed you enough, and will try to please you. Your resolution to obey your father I sincerely approve; but do not accustom yourself to enchain your volatility by vows: they will sometimes leave a thorn in your mind, which you will, perhaps, never be able to extract or eject.