The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [532]
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 haditoriginally inagreat 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.
‘TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON
‘MY DEAR SIR, ‘Edinburgh, April 29, 1780.
‘This will be delivered to you by my brother David, on his return from Spain. You will be glad to see the man who vowed to “stand by the old 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 acquaintance. 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:a ‘I have had with me a brother of Boswell’s, a Spanish merchant,a 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.’
‘TO DR. BEATTIE, at Aberdeen
‘SIR, – More years 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.936 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 on; 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 had great success as an authour,b generated by 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,c that I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
‘Bolt-court, Fleet-street, ‘SAM. JOHNSON.’
August 21, 1780.’
‘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