The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [843]
‘See how the wand’ring Danube flows,
Realms and religions parting;
A friend to all true christian foes,
To Peter, Jack, and Martin.
Now Protestant, and Papist now,
Not constant long to either,
At length an infidel does grow,
And ends his journey neither.
Thus many a youth I’ve known set out,
Half Protestant, half Papist,
And rambling long the world about,
Turn infidel or atheist.’]
a Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland’s Islands.
b By comparing the first with the subsequent editions, this curious circumstance of ministerial authorship may be discovered.
a Pr. and Med. p. 101 {p.105}.
b Thus translated by a friend: –
In fame scarce second to the nurse of Jove,
This Goat, who twice the world had traversed round,
Deserving both her master’s care and love,
Ease and perpetual pasture now has found.’
a Mr. Langton married the Countess Dowager of Rothes.
a ‘To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.
‘MY DEAR SIR,– ‘Edinburgh, May3, 1792.
‘As I suppose your great work will soon be reprinted, I beg leave to trouble you with a remark on a passage of it, in which I am a little misrepresented. Be not alarmed; the misrepresentation is not imputable to you. Not having the book at hand, I cannot specify the page, but I suppose you will easily find it. Dr. Johnson says, speaking of Mrs. Thrale’s family, “Dr. Beattie sunk upon us that he was married,” or words to that purpose. I am not sure that I understand sunk upon us, which is a very uncommon phrase, but it seems to me to imply, (and others, I find, have understood it in the same sense,) studiously concealed from us his being married. Now, Sir, this was by no means the case. I could have no motive to conceal a circumstance, of which I never was nor can be ashamed; and of which Dr. Johnson seemed to think, when he afterwards became acquainted with Mrs. Beattie, that I had, as was true, reason to be proud. So far was I from concealing her, that my wife had at that time almost as numerous an acquaintance in London as I had myself; and was, not very long after, kindly invited and elegantly entertained at Streatham by Mr. and Mrs. Thrale.
‘My request, therefore, is, that you would rectify this matter in your new edition. You are at liberty to make what use you please of this letter.
‘My best wishes ever attend you and your family. Believe me to be, with the utmost regard and esteem, dear Sir,
‘Your obliged and affectionate humble servant, ‘J. BEATTIE.’
I have, from my respect for my friend Dr. Beattie, and regard to his extreme sensibility, inserted the foregoing letter, though I cannot but wonder at his considering as any imputation a phrase commonly used among the best friends.
a See p. 289.
a [This fiction is known to have been invented by Daniel Defoe, and was added to Drelincourt’s book, to make it sell. The first edition had it not.]
a This project has since been realized. Sir Henry Liddel, who made a spirited tour into Lapland, brought two reindeer to his estate in Northumberland, where they bred; but the race has unfortunately perished.
b [There is no Preface to The Rehearsal as originally published. Dr. Johnson seems to have meant the Address to the Reader with a Key subjoined to it; which have been prefixed to the modern editions of that play. He did not know, it appears, that several additions were made to The Rehearsal after the first edition.]
a it must not be presumed that dr. johnson meant to give any countenance to licentiousness, though in the character of an advocate he made a just and subtle distinction between occasional and habitual transgression.
a Mr. Samuel Paterson, eminent for his knowledge of books.