The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [238]
‘He said, he had known several good scholars among the Irish gentlemen; but scarcely any of them correct in quantity. He extended the same observation to Scotland.
‘Speaking of a certain Prelate,304 who exerted himself very laudably in building churches and parsonage-houses; “however, said he, I do not find that he is esteemed a man of much professional learning, or a liberal patron of it; – yet, it is well, where a man possesses any strong positive excellence. – Few have all kinds of merit belonging to their character. We must not examine matters too deeply – No, Sir, a fallible being will fail some-where.”
‘Talking of the Irish clergy, he said, Swift was a man of great parts, and the instrument of much good to his country. – Berkeley was a profound scholar, as well as a man of fine imagination; but Usher, he said, was the great luminary of the Irish church; and a greater, he added, no church could boast of; at least in modern times.
‘We dined tete a tete at the Mitre, as I was preparing to return to Ireland, after an absence of many years. I regretted much leaving London, where I had formed many agreeable connexions: “Sir, (said he,) I don’t wonder at it; no man, fond of letters, leaves London without regret. But remember, Sir, you have seen and enjoyed a great deal; – you have seen life in its highest decorations, and the world has nothing new to exhibit. No man is so well qualifyed to leave publick life as he who has long tried it and known it well. We are always hankering after untried situations, and imagining greater felicity from them than they can afford. No, Sir, knowledge and virtue may be acquired in all countries, and your local consequence will make you some amends for the intellectual gratifications you relinquish.” Then he quoted the following lines with great pathos: –
“He who has early known the pomps of state,
(For things unknown, ’tis ignorance to condemn;)
And after having viewed the gaudy bait,
Can boldly say, the trifle I contemn;
With such a one contented could I live,
Contented could I die;” —a
‘He then took a most affecting leave of me; said, he knew, it was a point of duty that called me away. “We shall all be sorry to lose you,” said he: “laudo tamen.” ‘306
1771: ætat. 62.] – In 1771 he published another political pamphlet, entitled Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland’s Islands,307 in which, upon materials furnished to him by ministry, and upon general topicks expanded in his richest style, he successfully endeavoured to persuade the nation that it was wise and laudable to suffer the question of right to remain undecided, rather than involve our country in another war. It has been suggested by some, with what truth I shall not take upon me to decide, that he rated the consequence of those islands to Great-Britain too low. But however this may be, every humane mind must surely applaud the earnestness with which he averted the calamity of war; a calamity so dreadful, that it is astonishing how civilised, nay, Christian nations, can deliberately continue to renew it. His description of its miseries in this pamphlet, is one of the finest pieces of eloquence in the English language. Upon this occasion, too, we find Johnson lashing the party in opposition with unbounded severity, and making the fullest use of what he ever reckoned a most effectual argumentative instrument, – contempt. His character of their very able mysterious champion, Junius,308 is executed with all the force of his genius, and finished with the highest care. He seems to have exulted in sallying forth to single combat against the boasted and formidable hero, who bade defiance to ‘principalities and powers, and the rulers of this world.’309
This pamphlet, it is observable, was softened in one particular, after the first edition; for the conclusion of Mr. George Grenville’s character stood thus: ‘Let him not, however, be depreciated in his grave. He had powers not universally