NEW BOOKS. writing any man's life, than not only relating all the most important events of it in their order, but interweaving what he privately wrote, and faid, and thought; by which mankind are enabled, as it were, to fee him live, and to "live o'er each feene" with him, as he actually ad The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. Compre bending an account of his ftudies and numerous works, in chronological order, a series of bis piftolary correspondence, and conversations with many eminent perfons; and various original pieces of bis compofition, never before publifb-vanced through the feveral ftages of his ed The robole exbibiting a view of literature, and lite› ary men, in Great Britain, for mear balf a century, during zubich he furib ed. By James Bofwell, Efq. 4to. 2 vols. 21. 21. boards. Dilly. Nothing can afford a stronger proof of the high eftimation in which the character and writings of Dr Johnfon are held by the public, than the great at tention that has been paid to the various, we might fay numerous, accounts of his life, of his opinions, of his writings, and of his focial connections, which have ap peared, fince the prefence of this diftinguished luminary of literature was withdrawn from us by the common deftiny of mankind :—but the hand of death could only reach his mortal part, which alone was vulnerable: his fame will furvive; and his works will continue to be regarded as his most splendid monument, when ftone and brafs, when tem ples and cathedrals, are mouldered away, and are returned, like their builders, to the earth, from which they sprang. Among the numerous friends, the admirers, we are tempted to add, the idolizers, of Johnson, (for the admiration of fome, however juftly founded, has been carried to lengths little short of idolatry), Mr Bofwell is well known, as not the leaft confiderable, in the esteem and confidence of that great and fingular character, the memorials of which he has, at length, presented to us. With regard to the form in which Mr Bofwell's work is given to the public, if not altogether new, it is fomewhat extraordinary as to the manner in which the author has written it: but to us the novelty is not unpleasant. Xenophon's Memorabilia of Socrates may, poffibly, have firft fuggefted to Mr Bofwell the idea of preferving and giving to us the Memorabilia of Johnfon: but he profeffes to have followed a model of later times; that of Mafon in his memoirs of Gray. He has, however, by much the advantage of Mr Mafon, in the quantity, variety, and richness, of his materials. "Indeed," fays the biographer, " I cannot conceive a more perfect mode of VOL. LIV. January 1792. life. Had his other friends been as dili gent and ardent as I was, he might have been almost entirely preferved. As it is, I will venture to fay, that he will be feen, in this work, more completely than any man who has ever yet lived And he will be feen as he really was; for I profefs to write, not his panegyric, which must be all praife, but his life; which, great and good as he was, muft not be fuppofed to be entirely perfect." Among the literati of the prefent age, and particularly thofe who were intimately converfant with Dr Johnson, we know of none better qualified, from a perfonal acquaintance with the hero of the ftory, than is Mr Bofwell, for a complete execution of the task which he had impofed on himself, in writing the life of this extraordinary man. He had known, he had familiarly, and almost daily, converfed with Dr Johnfon for upward of twenty of the last years of his life: during which Mr Bofwell was happy in the kind regard and unreferved confidence of his venerable friend: who, it unquestionably appears, was fully apprised of his biographical intention, and manifested no difapprobation of it As a man of letters, Mr Bofwell was certainly competent to this arduous undertaking. It was farther requifite, that the biographer should not only be a scholar, but that he fhould alfo have had the advantage of being converfant with the world, as well as with books. It was likewife neceffary that he fhould be endued with that patient and perfevering attention, and affiduous regard to the full accomplishment of his defign, without which that defign must have proved abortive;-and thefe requifites feem to have been happily united in the prefent inftance. With refpect to the peculiar mode and fasbion in which this work has been caft, fomething may be faid for it, and some. thing against it. An objector may fay, that in the formal garb, and with all the *We are very much inclined to fubfcribe to the truth of this remark. C minutie minutie of converfation, the progrefs of the reader, through a performance of fuch confiderable extent, can never be rapid; and that, as taftes vary, many particulars will appear, to one perfon frivolous, to another dull, and to a third uninterefting or uninftructive, On the other hand, an approver will contend, that where the biographer has for his fubject the life and fentiments of fo eminent an inftructor of mankind as SAMUEL JOHNSON, and fo immenfe a forehouse of mental treasure to open and difclose to the eager curiofity of rational and laudable inquiry, there can be no juft exception taken against the number and variety of the objects exhibited. He will afk, What converfation could have paffed, where fo great a genius prefided, at which every man of learning and taste would not wish to have been prefent, or, at least, to have it faithfully reported to him?"-To the reporter would he not say, “Give us all; fupprefs nothing; left, in rejecting that which, in your eftimation, may feem to be of inferior value, you unwarily throw away gold with the drofs." In like manner we have frequently reflected, while perufing the ample volumes now before us, what an invaluable treafure we thould deem it, did we poffefs fuch copious and circumftantial accounts of many great men of former times, of whom we know juft enough to make us lament that we know no more! What confideration would we not gladly afford for fuch accounts of the lives and opinions of an ARISTOTLE, a PLATO, a SENECA, a BACON, a NEWTON, or a LOCKE, with many-many others, of the illuftrious dead, that might be named-but let us not detain the impatient reader from the contents of the prefent work. Suffer us, however, in this place, to ad, for ourfelves, that we are among the number of those readers of Mr Bofwell's voluminous journal, (for fuch it may be ftyled,) who do not think that he has fet before us too plenteous an enter tainment: nor have we found, that, of. ten as we have fat down to his mental feast, we have ever rifen from it with a cloyed appetite. Mr Bofwell gives the following introduétory paragraph, relative to his opportunities of becoming acquainted with the more remarkable incidents of Johnson's early years, as well as with thofe of the fubfequent part of his life : "As I had the honour and happiness of enjoying his friendship for upwards of twenty years; as I had the scheme of writing his life conftantly in view; as he was well apprifed of this circumftance, and from time to time obligingly fatisfied my inquiries, by communicating to me the incidents of his early years; as I acquired a facility in recollecting, and was very affi luous in recording his conversation, of which the extraordinary vigour and vivacity conftituted one of the first features of his character; and as I have spared no pains in obtaining materials concerning him, from every quarter where I could difcover that they were to be found, and have been favoured with the moft liberal communications by his friends; I flatter myfelf that few biographers have entered upon fuch a work as this, with more advantages, independent of literary abilities, in which I am not vain enough to compare myfelf with some great names who have gone before me in this kind of writing." Such opportunities for obtaining biographical materials, relative to an individual, perhaps never before fell to the lot of any writer; and greater and more unremitted application in the ufe of them cannot, we believe, easily be conceived. We have, indeed, been aftonished at Mr Bofwell's induftry and perfeverance !to fay nothing of the multiplicity and variety of his own occafional and pertinent obfervations, which are properly interfperfed with the anecdotes, letters, and details. M. We infert, as a specimen, the account of Dr Johnfon's private converfation with his Majefty in the library at the Queen's Houfe. It feems that Johnfon had frequented the library, by means of the friendship of Mr Barnard, the librarian, who took care that he should have every eafe and convenience while indulging his literary taste in that place; and his Majefty having been informed of his occafional vifits, was pleafed to fignify a defire that he fhould be told when Dr Johnson came next to the library. "Accordingly, the next time that Johnfon did come, as foon as he was fairly engaged with a book, on which, while he fat by the fire, he seemed quité intent, Mr Barnard ftole round to the apartment where the King was, and, in obedience obedience to his Majefty's commands, mentioned that Dr Johnfon was then in the library. His Majefty faid he was at leifure, and would go to him; upon which Mr Barnard took one of the candles that food on the King's table, and lighted his Majefty through a fuite of rooms, till they came to a private door into the library, of which his Majesty had the key. Being entered, Mr Barnard stepped forward haftily to Dr Johnfon, who was fill in a profound study, and whispered him," Sir, here is the King." Johnson ftarted up, and food ftill. His Majefty approached him, and at once was cour. teonfly eafy. His Majefty began by obferving, that be understood he came fometimes to the Fbrary; and then, mentioning his ha ving heard that the Doctor had been late ly at Oxford, afked him, if he was not fond of going thither. To which John fon anfwered, that he was indeed fond of going to Oxford sometimes, but was like wife glad to come back again. The King then asked him what they were doing at Oxford. Johnson anfwered, he could zot much commend their diligence, but that in some respects they were mended, for they had put their prefs under better regulations, and were at that time printing Polybius. He was then asked, whether there were better libraries at Oxford or Cambridge. He answered, he believed the Bodleian was larger than any they had at Cambridge; at the fame time adding, " I hope, whether we have more books or not than they have at Cambridge, we shall make as good ufe of them as they do." Being afked whether All-Souls or Chrift-Church library was the largeft, be answered, "All-Souls library is the largest we have, except the Bodleian." "Aye (faid the King), that is the public library. His Majefty enquired if he was then writing any thing. He answered, he was Dot, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and muft now read to acquire more knowledge. The King, as it should seem with a view to urge him to rely on his own ftores as an original writer, and to continue his labours, then faid, "I do not think you borrow much from any body." Johnson faid, he thought he had already done his part as a writer." I fhould have thought fo too (faid the King), if you had not written to well."-Johnfon obferved to me, upon this, that no man could have paid a handfomer compliment; and it was fit for a King to pay. It was decifive." When asked by another friend, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, whether he made any reply to this high compliment, he anfwered, " No, Sir, when the King had faid it, it was to be fo. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my fovereign." Perhaps no man who had spent his whole life in courts could have fhewn a more nice and dignified fenfe of true politeness than Johnson did in this inftance. His Majesty having obferved to him that he fuppofed he must have read a great deal; Johnson answered, that he thought more than he read; that he had read a great deal in the early part of his life, but having fallen into ill health, he had not been able to read much, compared with others: for inftance, he faid, he had not read much compared with Dr Warburton. Upon which the King faid, that he heard Dr. Warburton was a man of fuch general knowledge, that you could fcarce talk with him on any fubject on which he was not qualified to speak; and that his learning resembled Garrick's acting, in its univerfality. His Majefty then talked of the controverfy between Warburton and Lowth, which he seemed to have read, and asked Johnson, what he thought of it. Johnton answered, "Warburton has mott general, most scholaftic learning; Lowth is the more correct fcholar. I do not know which of them calls names beft." The King was pleased to say he was of the fame opinion; adding, " You do not think then, Dr Johnfon, that there was much argument in the cafe." Johnson faid, he didnot think there was. "Why truly (faid the King), when once it comes to calling names, argument is pretty well at an end." No, His Majefty then asked him, what he thought of Lord Lyttleton's Hiftory, which was then juft published. Johnson faid, he thought his ftyle pretty good, but that he had blamed Henry II. rather too much. " Why (faid the King), they feldom do these things by halves.""" Sir (anfwered Johnfon), not to Kings.' But fearing to be mifunderstood, he proceeded to explain himself; and immediately fubjoined," that for those who spoke worse of Kings than they deserved, he could find no excufe, but that he could more eafily conceive how fome might speak better of them than they de ferved, without any ill intention; for as C 2 Kings Kings had much in their power to give, those who were favoured by them would frequently, from gratitude, exaggerate their praises; and as this proceeded from a good motive, it was certainly excufeable, as far as error could be excufeable." The King then asked him, what he thought of Dr Hill. Johnfon anfwered, that he was an ingenious man, but had no veracity; and immediately mentioned, as an inftance of it, an affertion of that writer, that he had seen objects magnified to a much greater degree by ufing three or four microscopes at a time, than by ufing one." Now (added Johnfon), every one acquainted with microscopes knows, that the more of them he looks through, the less the object will appear." "Why (replied the King), this is not only teling an untruth, but telling it clumfily; for, if that be the cafe, every one who can look through a microscope will be a ble to detect him." I now (faid Johnson to his friends, when relating what had paffed) began to confider that I was depreciating this man in the estimation of his tovereign, and thought it was time for me to fay fome. thing that might be more favourable. He added, therefore, that Dr Hill was, notwithstanding, a very curious obferver; and if he would have been contented to tell the world no more than he knew, he might have been a very confi. derable man, and needed not to have re course to fuch mean expedients to raife his reputation. The conversation next turned on the Philofophical Tranfactions, when Johnfon obferved, that they had now a better method of arranging their materials than formerly. "Aye (faid the King), they are obliged to Dr Johnson for that;" for his Majefty had heard and remembered the circumstance, which Johnson himfelf had forgot. The King then talked of literary jour nals, mentioned particularly the Journal des Sçavans, and afked Johnfon if it was well done. Johnfon faid it was for merly very well done, and gave fome account of the perfons who began it and carried it on for fomne years; enlarging at the fame time on the nature and ufe of fuch works. The King afked him, if it was well done now. Johnfon an fwered, he had no reafon to think that it was. The King then asked him, if there were any other literary journals publifhed in this kingdom, except the Monthly and Critical Reviews; and on being anfwered there were no other, his Majefty asked which of them was the beft: Johnfon answered, that the Monthly Review was done with most care, the Critical upon the beft principles; adding, that the authors of the Monthly Review were enemies to the Church. This the King faid he was forry to hear. His Majelty expreffed a defire to have the literary biography of this country ably executed, and propofed to Dr Johnfon to undertake it. Johnton fignified his readiness to comply with his Majef ty's wishes. During the whole of this interview, Johnfon talked to his Majefty with profound respect, but ftill in his firm manly manner, with a fonorous voice, and never in that fubdued tone which is commonly ufed at the levee and in the drawingroom. After the King withdrew, Johnfon fhewed himself highly pleased with his Majefty's converfation and gracious behaviour. He said to Mr Barnard," Sir, they may talk of the King as they will; but he is the finest gentleman I have ever feen." And he afterwards obferved to Mr Langton, "Sir, his manners are thofe of as fine a gentleman as we may suppose Lewis XIV. or Charles II *.”, "The particulars of this conversation I have been at great pains to collect with the utmost authenticity, from Dr Johnston's own detail to myfelf; from Mr Langton, who was prefent when he gave an account of it to Dr Jofeph Warton, and feveral other friends, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's; from Mr Barnard; from the copy of a letter written by the late and from a minute, the original of which is Mr Strahan the printer to Bishop Warburton; among the papers of the late Sir James Caldwell, and a copy of which was moit obligingly obtained for me from his fon Sir John Caldwell, by Sir Francis Lumm. To all thefe gentlemen I beg leave to make my grateful acknowledgements, and particularly to Sir Francis Lumm, who was pleafed to take a great deal of trouble, and even had the minute laid before the King by Lord Caermarthen, now Duke of Leeds, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, who announced to Sir Francis the Royal pleasure concern ing it by letter, in these words: "I have the King's commands to affure you, Sir, how communicating the minute of the conversation fenfible his Majefty is of your attention in previous to its publication. As there appears Bolwell's wishes on the fubject, you are at no objection to your complying with Mr full liberty to deliver it to that gentleman, to make fuch ufe of in his life of Dr Johnson as may think proper." The he The Cry of Nature; or, An Appeal to Mer IN the Cry of Nature on behalf of the "By fweet but irrefiftible violence, vegetation allures our every fenfe, and plays upon the fenforium with a fort of blandichment, which at once flatters and fatisfies the foul. To the eye, feems aught more beauteous than this green carpet of nature, infinitely diverfified as it is by pleafing interchange of lovely tints? What more grateful to the smell, more ftimulous of appetite, than this collected fragrance that flows from a world of various perfumes? Can art, can the moft exquifite art, equal the native flavours of Pomona; or worthy to vie with the spontaneous nectar of nature, are thofe fordid fauces of multiplex materials, which the minifters of luxury compofe to irritate the palate and to poifon the conftitution? And innocently mayeft thou indulge the defires which Nature fo potently provokes; for fee! the trees are overcharged with fruit; the bending branches feem to fupplicate for relief; the mature orange, the ripe apple, the mellow peach invoke thee, as it were, to fave them from falling to the ground, from dropping into corruption. They will fmile in thy hand; and, blooming as the roly witchcraft of thy bride, they will fue thee to press them to thy lips; in thy mouth they will melt not inferior to the famed ambrofia of the gods. But of animals far other is the fare: for, alas! when they from the tree of life are plucked, fudden thrink to the chilly hand of death the withered bloffoms of their beauty; quenched in his cold, cold grafp, expires the lamp of their lovelinefs, and, ftruck by the livid blast of putrefaction loathed, their every comely limb in ghaftly horror is involved. And fhall we leave the living herbs to feek, in the den of death, an obscene aliment?-Infenfible to the blooming beauties of Pomona, unallured by the fragrant fume that exhales from her groves of golden fruits, undetained by the nectar of nature, by the ambrofia of inno. cence undetained, shall the voracious vultures of our impure appetite fpeed across the lovely fcenes of rural Pan, and alight in the loathfome fink of putrefaction to devour the funeral of other creatures, to load, with cadaverous rottennefs, a wretched ftomach ?” All this is very florid and fine; neverthelefs, on calm inveftigation, in plain profe, we think, that, fo far is man from violating the dictates of nature by adding a leg of mutton or a round of beef to his vegetables, he thus fulfils the law of nature. Alas! Nature utters no cries on be half of perfecuted auimals: but throughout the air, the earth, and more especial ly the ocean, uniformly, and without the leaft compunction, fubjects the weaker to the jaws of the stronger creatures; these latter being obviously framed for their vo racious mode of life; and the former brought into existence merely to fill carnivorous ftomachs. Why then thould man, with all thefe examples around him, and with all the powers that he poffeffes, abftain from a more fatisfactory diet than roots, herbs, and fruits, can ever afford? As milk is not excluded from our author's bill of fare, it may be hinted, that, to procure milk, we must breed calves in order to rob them of the fuftenance which nature provides for them: but thefe calves being produced, what are we then to do with them? Keep up a fucceffion of cows," would be our author's reply. True: but the one half of thefe calves may |