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By Root 5337 0

Dr. Nash’s excellent History of Worcestershire, vol. ii. p. 318. The Doctor has subjoined a note, in which he says, ‘The Editor hath seen and carefully examined the proofs of all the particulars above-mentioned, now in the possession of the Reverend Thomas Percy.’ The same proofs I have also myself carefully examined, and have seen some additional proofs which have occurred since the Doctor’s book was published; and both as a Lawyer accustomed to the consideration of evidence, and as a Genealogist versed in the study of pedigrees, I am fully satisfied. I cannot help observing, as a circumstance of no small moment, that in tracing the Bishop of Dromore’s genealogy, essential aid was given by the late Elizabeth Duchess of Northumberland, Heiress of that illustrious House; a lady not only of high dignity of spirit, such as became her noble blood, but of excellent understanding and lively talents. With a fair pride I can boast of the honour of her Grace’s correspondence, specimens of which adorn my archives.

a The title of a book translated by Dr. Percy.

b This is the common cant against faithful Biography. Does the worthy gentleman mean that I, who was taught discrimination of character by Johnson, should have omitted his frailties, and, in short, have bedawbed him as the worthy gentleman has bedawbed Scotland?

a Sunday, April 12, 1778.

a Though the Bishop of Dromore kindly answered the letters which I wrote to him, relative to Dr. Johnson’s early history; yet, in justice to him, I think it proper to add, that the account of the foregoing conversation and the subsequent transaction, as well as some other conversations in which he is mentioned, has been given to the publick without previous communication with his Lordship.

a See note, ante, p. 576.

a Dr. Johnson, describing her needle-work in one of his letters to Mrs. Thrale, i, p. 326, uses the learned word sutile; which Mrs. Thrale has mistaken, and made the phrase injurious by writing ‘futile pictures.’

a As Physicians are called the Faculty, and Counsellors at Law the Profession; the Booksellers of London are denominated the Trade. Johnson disapproved of these denominations.

a If any of my readers are disturbed by this thorny question, I beg leave to recommend to them Letter 69 of Montesquieu’s Lettres Persanes; and the late Mr. John Palmer of Islington’s Answer to Dr. Priestley’s mechanical arguments for what he absurdly calls ‘Philosophical Necessity.’

a Mrs. Knowles, not satisfied with the fame of her needlework, the ‘sutile pictures’ mentioned by Johnson, in which she has indeed displayed much dexterity, nay, with the fame of reasoning better than women generally do, as I have fairly shewn her to have done, communicated to me a Dialogue of considerable length, which after many years had elapsed, she wrote down as having passed between Dr. Johnson and herself at this interview. As I had not the least recollection of it, and did not find the smallest trace of it in my Record taken at the time, I could not in consistency with my firm regard to authenticity, insert it in my work. It has, however, been published in The Gent. Mag. for June 1791. It chiefly relates to the principles of the sect called Quakers; and no doubt the Lady appears to have greatly the advantage of Dr. Johnson in argument as well as expression. From what I have now stated, and from the internal evidence of the paper itself, any one who may have the curiosity to peruse it, will judge whether it was wrong in me to reject it, however willing to gratify Mrs. Knowles.

a I believe, however, I shall follow my own opinion; for the world has shewn a very flattering partiality to my writings, on many occasions.

a Pr. and Med. p. 164.

a Johnson said to me afterwards, ‘Sir, they respected me for my literature; and yet it was not great but by comparison. Sir, it is amazing how little literature there is in the world.’

a [This line has frequently been attributed to Dryden, when a King’s Scholar at Westminster. But neither Eton nor Westminster have in truth