The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [348]
‘Pray let me know if Mrs. Boswell is friends with me, and pay my respects to Veronica, and Euphemia, and Alexander. I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
‘February 15, 1776.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.”
‘Mr. BOSWELL to DR. JOHNSON
‘Edinburgh, Feb. 20, 1776.
‘… You have illuminated my mind and relieved me from imaginary shackles of conscientious obligation. Were it necessary, I could immediately join in an entail upon the series of heirs approved by my father; but it is better not to act too suddenly.’
‘DR. JOHNSON to MR. BOSWELL
‘DEAR SIR, – I am glad that what I could think or say has at all contributed to quiet your thoughts. Your resolution not to act, till your opinion is confirmed by more deliberation, is very just. If you have been scrupulous, do not now be rash. I hope that as you think more, and take opportunities of talking with men intelligent in questions of property, you will be able to free yourself from every difficulty.
‘When I wrote last, I sent, I think, ten packets. Did you receive them all?
‘You must tell Mrs. Boswell that I suspected her to have written without your knowledge,a and therefore did not return any answer, lest a clandestine correspondence should have been perniciously discovered. I will write to her soon… I am, dear Sir, most affectionately yours,
‘Feb. 24, 1776.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.”
Having communicated to Lord Hailes what Dr. Johnson wrote concerning the question which perplexed me so much, his Lordship wrote to me: ‘Your scruples have produced more fruit than I ever expected from them; an excellent dissertation on general principles of morals and law.’
I wrote to Dr. Johnson on the 20th535 of February, complaining of melancholy, and expressing a strong desire to be with him; informing him that the ten packets came all safe; that Lord Hailes was much obliged to him, and said he had almost wholly removed his scruples against entails.
‘To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
‘DEAR SIR, – I have not had your letter half an hour; as you lay so much weight upon my notions, I should think it not just to delay my answer.
‘I am very sorry that your melancholy should return, and should be sorry likewise if it could have no relief but from company. My counsel you may have when you are pleased to require it; but of my company you cannot in the next month have much, for Mr. Thrale will take me to Italy, he says, on the first of April.
‘Let me warn you very earnestly against scruples. I am glad that you are reconciled to your settlement, and think it a great honour to have shaken Lord Hailes’s opinion of entails. Do not, however, hope wholly to reason away your troubles; do not feed them with attention, and they will die imperceptibly away. Fix your thoughts upon your business, fill your intervals with company, and sunshine will again break in upon your mind. If you will come to me, you must come very quickly; and even then I know not but we may scour the country together, for I have a mind to see Oxford and Lichfield, before I set out on this long journey. To this I can only add, that I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant,
‘March5,1776.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.”
To THE SAME
‘DEAR SIR, – Very early in April we leave England, and in the beginning of the next week I shall leave London for a short time; of this I think it necessary to inform you, that you may not be disappointed in any of your enterprises. I had not fully resolved to go into the country before this day.
‘Please to make my compliments to Lord Hailes; and mention very particularly to Mrs. Boswell my hope that she is reconciled to, Sir, your faithful servant,
‘March 12, 1776.’ ’sAM. JOHNSON.”
Above thirty years ago, the heirs of Lord Chancellor Clarendon presented the University of Oxford with the continuation of his History, and such other of his Lordship’s manuscripts as had not been published, on condition that the profits arising from their publication should be applied to the establishment of a Man