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place is useful; and I hope that your resi- | fore, it is little to say, that I am, sir, your dence at Auchinleck will have many good affectionate humble servant, effects.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

"TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

"That I should have given pain to Rasay, I am sincerely sorry; and am therefore "London, 30th August, 1775. very much pleased that he is no longer un- "SIR,-If in these papers 2 there is little easy. He still thinks that I have represent- alteration attempted, do not suppose me ed him as personally giving up the chief negligent. I have read them perhaps more tainship. I meant only that it was no long-closely than the rest; but I find nothing er contested between the two houses, and worthy of an objection. supposed it settled, perhaps, by the cession of some remote generation, in the house of Dunvegan. I am sorry the advertisement was not continued for three or four times in the paper.

"Write to me soon, and write often, and tell me all your honest heart. I am, sir, yours affectionately, "SAM. JOHNSON."

"London, 9th September, 1775, "DEAR MADAM,-I have sent Pearson your books by the carrier, and in Ms. Sandys's Travels you will find your glasses "I have written this post to the ladies at Stow-hill, and you may, the day after you have this, or at any other time, send Mrs. Gastrel's books.

"That Lord Monboddo and Mr. Mac-["DR. JOHNSON TO MRS. LUCY PORTER. queen should controvert a position contrary to the imaginary interest of literary or national prejudice, might be easily imagined; but of a standing fact there ought to be no controversy; if there are men with tails, catch a homo caudatus; if there was writing of old in the Highlands or Hebrides, in the Erse language, produce the manuscripts. Where men write they will write to one another, and some of their letters, in families studious of their ancestry, will be kept. Wales there are many manuscripts.

In

"I have now three parcels of Lord Hailes's history, which I purpose to return all the next week: that his respect for my little observations should keep his work in suspense, makes one of the evils of my journey. It is in our language, I think, a new mode of history which tells all that is wanted, and, I suppose, all that is known, without labored splendour of language, or affected subtilty of conjecture. The exactness of his dates raises my wonder. He seems to have the closeness of Henault without his constraint.

"Mrs. Thrale was so entertained with your Journal,' that she almost read herself blind. She has a great regard for you. "Of Mrs. Boswell, though she knows in her heart that she does not love me, I am always glad to hear any good, and hope that she and the little dear ladies will have neither sickness nor any other affliction. But she knows that she does not care what becomes of me, and for that she may be sure that I think her very much to blame.

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Never, my dear sir, do you take it into your head to think that I do not love you; you may settle yourself in full confidence both of my love and esteem: I love you as a kind man, I value you as a worthy man, and hope in time to reverence you as a man of exemplary piety. I hold you, as Hamlet has it, in my heart of hearts,' and there

.

1 My "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," which that lady read in the original manuscript.— BUSWELL.

"Be pleased to make my compliments to all my good friends.

"I hope the poor dear hand is recovered, and you are now able to write, which, however, you need not do, for I am going to Brighthelmstone, and when I come back will take care to tell you. In the mean time take great care of your health, and drink as much as you can. I am, dearest love, your most humble servant,

"SAM. JOHNSON."]

TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "14th Sept. 1775. "MY DEAR SIR,-I now write to you, lest in some of your freaks and humours you should fancy yourself neglected. Such fancies I must entreat you never to admit, at least never to indulge; for my regard for you is so radicated and fixed, that it is become part of my mind, and cannot be effaced but by some cause uncommonly violent; therefore, whether I write or not, set your thoughts at rest. I now write to tell you that I shall not very soon write again, for I am to set out to-morrow on another journey.

"Your friends are all well at Streatham, and in Leicesterfields 3. Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, if she is in good humour with me. I am, sir, &c.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

What he mentions in such light terms 2 Another parcel of Lord Hailes's "Annals of Scotland."-BOSWELL.

3 Where Sir Joshua Reynolds lived.-Bos

WELL.

as, "I am to set out to-morrow on another journey," I soon afterwards discovered was no less than a tour to France with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. This was the only time in his life that he went upon the Continent.

TO MR. ROBERT LEVET.

"Calais, 18th Sept. 1775.

"DEAR SIR,-We are here in France, after a very pleasing passage of no more than six hours. I know not when I shall write again, and therefore I write now, though you cannot suppose that I have much to say. You have seen France yourself. From this place we are going to Rouen, and from Rouen to Paris, where Mr. Thrale designs to stay about five or six weeks. We have a regular recommendation to the English resident, so we shall not be taken for vagabonds. We think to go one way and return another, and see as much as we can. I will try to speak a little French; I tried hitherto but little, but I spoke sometimes. If I heard better, I suppose I should learn faster. I am, sir, your humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

TO THE SAME.

"Paris, 22d October, 1775. "DEAR SIR,-We are still here, commonly very busy in looking about us. We have been to day at Versailles. You have seen it, and I shall not describe it. We came yesterday from Fontainbleau, where the court is now. We went to see the king and queen at dinner, and the queen was so impressed by Miss 1, that she sent one of the gentlemen to inquire who she was. I find all true that you have ever told me at Paris. Mr. Thrale is very liberal, and keeps us two coaches, and a very fine table; but I think our cookery very bad. Mrs. Thrale got into a convent of English nuns, and I talked with her through the grate, and I am very kindly used by the English Benedictine friars. But upon the whole I cannot make much acquaintance here; and though the churches, palaces, and some private houses are very magnificent, there is no very great pleasure after having seen many, in seeing more; at least the pleasure, whatever it be, must some time have an end, and we are beginning to think when we shall come home. Mr. Thrale calculates that as we left Streatham on the fifteenth of September, we shall see it again about the fifteenth of November.

"I think I had not been on this side of the sea five days before I found a sensible mprovement in my health. I ran a race in the rain this day, and beat Baretti. Baretti is a fine fellow, and speaks French, I think, quite as well as English.

1 Miss Thrale.-BOSWELL. VOL, II.

2

"Make my compliments to Mrs. Williams; and give my love to Francis; and tell my friends that I am not lost. I am, dear sir, your affectionate humble, &c. SAM. JOHNSON."

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TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, 24th October, 1775 "MY DEAR SIR,-If I had not been informed that you were at Paris, you should have had a letter from me by the earliest opportunity, announcing the birth of my son, on the 9th instant; I have named him Alexander 2, after my father. I now write, as I suppose your fellow-traveller, Mr. Thrale, will return to London this week, to attend his duty in parliament, and that you will not stay behind him.

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"I send another parcel of Lord Hailes's 'Annals.' I have undertaken to solicit you for a favour to him, which he thus requests in a letter to me: 'I intend soon to give you The Life of Robert Bruce,' which you will be pleased to transmit to Dr. Johnson. I wish that you could assist me in a fancy which I have taken, of getting Dr. Johnson to draw a character of Robert Bruce, from the account that I give of that prince. If he finds materials for it in my work, it will be a proof that I have been fortunate in selecting the most striking incidents.'

"I suppose by The Life of Robert Bruce,' his lordship means that part of his Annals' which relates the history of that prince, and not a separate work.

"Shall we have A Journey to Paris,' from you in the winter? You will, I hope, at any rate, be kind enough to give me some account of your French travels very soon, for I am very impatient. What a different scene have you viewed this autumn, from that which you viewed in autumn 1773! I ever am, my dear sir, your much obliged and affectionate humble servant, "JAMES BOSWELL,"

"TO JAMES BOSWELL,, ESQ.

"16th November, 1775.

"DEAR SIR,-I am glad that the young laird is born, and an end, as I hope, put to the only difference that you can ever have

2 [The Editor had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was a high-spirited, clever, and amiable gentleman; and, like his father, of a frank and social disposition; but it is said that he did not relish the recollections of our authour's devotion to Dr. Johnson: like old lord Auchinleck, he seemed to think it a kind of derogation. He was created a baronet in 1821, but was unfortunately killed in a duel, arising from a political dispute, near Edinburgh, on the 26th March, 1822, by Mr. Stuart, of Dunearn. He left issue a son and two daughters.-ED.]

with Mrs. Boswell. I know that she does | troublesome to you. I am, dear madam, not love me; but I intend to persist in wish- your most affectionate humble servant, ing her well till I get the better of her.

"Paris is, indeed, a place very different from the Hebrides, but it is to a hasty traveller not so fertile of novelty, nor affords so many opportunities of remark. I cannot pretend to tell the publick any thing of a place better known to many of my readers than to myself. We can talk of it when

we meet.

"I shall go next week to Streatham, from whence I purpose to send a parcel of the History' every post. Concerning the character of Bruce, I can only say, that I do not see any great reason for writing it; but I shall not easily deny what Lord Hailes and you concur in desiring.

"I have been remarkably healthy all the journey, and hope you and your family have known only that trouble and danger which has so happily terminated. Among all the congratulations that you may receive, I hope you believe none more warm or sincere than those of, dear sir, your most affectionate, "SAM. JOHNSON."

"TO MRS. LUCY PORTER, IN LICHFIELD2.

"16th November, 1775. "DEAR MADAM,-This week I came home from Paris. I have brought you a little box, which I thought pretty; but I know not whether it is properly a snuff-box, or a box for some other use. I will send it, when I can find an opportunity. I have been through the whole journey remarkably well. My fellow-travellers were the same whom you saw at Lichfield, only we took Baretti with us. Paris is not so fine a place as you would expect. The palaces and churches, however, are very splendid and magnificent; and what would please you, there are many very fine pictures; but I do not think their way of life commodious or pleasant.

"Let me know how your health has been all this while. I hope the fine summer has given you strength sufficient to encounter the winter.

"Make my compliments to all my friends; and, if your fingers will let you, write to me, or let your maid write, if it be

This alludes to my old feudal principle of preferring male to female succession.-BOSWELL. 2 There can be no doubt that many years previous to 1775, he corresponded with this lady, who was his stepdaughter, but none of his earlier letters to her have been preserved.-BOSWELL. Since the death of the authour, several of Johnson's letters to Mrs. Lucy Porter, written before 1775, were obligingly communicated to me by the Rev. Dr. Vyse, and are printed in the present edition. MALONE. [Several others, as has been already stated (ante, vol. i. p 80), are added to this edition.-ED.]

"SAM. JOHNSON."

66 TO THE SAME.

"December, 1775. "DEAR MADAM,-Some weeks ago I wrote to you, to tell you that I was just come home from a ramble, and hoped that I should have heard from you. I am afraid winter has laid hold on your fingers, and hinders you from writing. However, let somebody write, if you cannot, and tell me how you do, and a little of what has happened at Lichfield among our friends. 'I hope you are all well.

"When I was in France, I thougnt myself growing young, but am afraid that cold weather will take part of my new vigour from me. Let us, however, take care of ourselves, and lose no part of our health by negligence.

"I never knew whether you received the Commentary on the New Testament, and the Travels, and the glasses.

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Do, my dear love, write to me; and do not let us forget each other. This is the season of good wishes, and I wish you all good. I have not lately seen Mr. Porter 3, nor heard of him. Is he with you?

"Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Adey, and Mrs. Cobb, and all my friends; and when I can do any good, let me know. I am, dear madam, yours most affectionately, "SAM. JOHNSON."

It is to be regretted, that he did not write an account of his travels in France; for as he is reported to have once said, that "he could write the life of a broomstick +," so, notwithstanding so many former travellers have exhausted almost every subject for re mark in that great kingdom, his very accurate observation, and peculiar vigour of thought and illustration, would have produced a wonderful work. During his visit to it, which lasted but about two months, he wrote notes or minutes of what he saw. He promised to show me them, but I neglected to put him in mind of it; and the greatest part of them has been lost, or perhaps destroyed in a precipitate burning of which must ever be lamented: one small his papers a few days before his death, has been preserved, and is in my possespaper book, however, entitled "France II.," sion. It is a diurnal register of his life and observations, from the 10th of October 3 Son of Mrs. Johnson, by her first husband.BosWELL.

4 It is probable that the authour's memory here deceived him, and that he was thinking of Stella's remark, that Swift could write finely upon a broomstick.-See Johnson's Life of Swift.-J. BOSWELL.

to the 4th of November, inclusive, being twenty-six days, and shows an extraordinary attention to various minute particulars. Being the only memorial of this tour that

remains, my readers, I am confident, will peruse it with pleasure, though his notes are very short, and evidently written only to assist his own recollection.

Tour in 56

Tuesday, 10th October.-We-In the house of Chatlois is a room fur nished with japan, fitted up in Europe.

France. saw the école militaire, in which one hundred and fifty young boys are educated for the army-They have arms of different sizes, according to the age-flints of wood-The building is very large, but nothing fine except the council-room-The French have large squares in the windows -They make good iron palisades -Their meals are gross2.

"We visited the Observatory, a large building of a great height-The upper stones of the parapet very large, but not cramped with iron 3 The flat on the top is very extensive; but on the insulated part there is no parapet-Though it was broad enough, I did not care to go upon it-Maps were printing in one of the rooms.

"We dined with Bocage 6, the Marquis Blanchetti, and his lady-The sweetmeats taken by the Marchioness Blanchetti, after observing that they were dear 7-Mr. Le Roy, Count Manucci, the abbe, the prior, and Father Wilson 8, who staid with me, till I took him home in the coach. "Bathiani is gone.

"The French have no laws for the maintenance of their poor-Monk not necessarily a priest-Benedictines rise at four; are at church an hour and half; at church again half an hour before, half an hour after, dinner; and again from half an hour after seven to eight-They may sleep eight hours -bodily labour wanted in monasteries. "We walked to a small convent of the "The poor taken into hospitals, and misFathers of the Oratory-In the reading-erably kept-Monks in the convent fifteen: desk of the refectory lay the Lives of the Saints.

"Wednesday, 11th October.-We went to see Hôtel de Chatlois 4, a house not very large, but very elegant-One of the rooms was gilt to a degree that I never saw before -The upper part for servants and their masters was pretty.

accounted poor.

"Thursday, 12th October.-We went to the Gobelins-Tapestry makes a good picture-imitates flesh exactly-One piece with a gold ground—the birds not exactly coloured-Thence we went to the king's cabinet; very neat, not, perhaps, perfect-Gold ore-Candles of the candle tree-Seeds

"Thence we went to Mr. Monville's, a-Woods-Thence to Gagnier's house, house divided into small apartments, furnished with effeminate and minute elegance -Porphyry.

"Thence we went to St. Roque's church, which is very large-The lower part of the pillars incrusted with marble-Three chapels behind the high altar; the last a mass of low arches-Altars, I believe, all round.

"We passed through Place de Vendôme, a fine square, about as big as Hanoversquae-Inhabited by the high familiesLouis XIV. on horseback in the middle 5. "Monville is the son of a farmer-general

[Alluding, probably, to the fine grilles so frequent in France. He had, probably, just seen that of the Hôtel des Invalides, which is one of the finest.-ED.]

[The contrary has been the general opinion; and Johnson was certainly a bad judge in that point, if he believed that his own taste was delicate.-ED.]

3 [There was neither iron nor wood originally used in any part of the building. An iron rail was afterwards added to the great stairs.-ED.] [This seems to be a mistake; probably for the Hôtel de Chatelet.-ED.]

5 [Of one block.-ED]

where I saw rooms nine, furnished with a profusion of wealth and elegance which I never had seen before-Vases--PicturesThe dragon china-The lustre said to be of crystal, and to have cost 3,500l.-The whole furniture said to have cost 125,000l. -Damask hangings covered with pictures -Porphyry-This house struck me Then we waited on the ladies to Monville'sCaptain Irwin with us 10-Spain-County towns all beggars-At Dijon he could not

6 [Madame Du Bocage.-See post.-ED.]

7 Johnson seems to suggest, that it would have been better bred not to have eaten what was dear; but the want of good-breeding (if any, which would depend on the context) was in alluding to the dearness, and not in eating what was on the table.-ED.]

8 [Who the abbé was does not appear. The two latter gentlemen were probably members of the English Benedictine convent.-ED.]

9

[Perhaps Gagny, Intendant des Finances, who had a fine house in the Rue de Varennes.-ED.] 10 The rest of this paragraph appears to be a minute of what was told by captain Irwin.-BosWELL. [And is therefore marked as quotation. -ED.]

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criminal-Queries on the Selette 6—This building has the old Gothick passages, and a great appearance of antiquity-Three hundred prisoners sometimes in the gaol.

"Much disturbed; hope no ill will be 7. "In the afternoon I visited Mr. Freron the journalist-He spoke Latin very scantily, but seemed to understand me-His house not splendid, but of commodious size-His family, wife, son, and daughter, not elevated, but decent-I was pleased with my reception-He is to translate my books, which I am to send him with notes. Sunday, 15th October.-At Choisi, a royal palace on the banks of the Seine, about 7m. from Paris-The terrace noble along the river-The rooms numerous and grand, but not discriminated from other palaces-The chapel beautiful, but smallChina globes-Inlaid tables-LabyrinthSinking table 8-Toilet tables.

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"Monday, 16th October.-The Palais Royal very grand, large, and lofty-A very great collection of pictures-Three of Raphael-Two Holy Family-One small piece of M. Angelo-One room of Rubens-I thought the pictures of Raphael fine.

"Then we went to Julien's 2, the treasurer of the clergy-30,000l. a year-The house has no very large room, but is set with mirrours, and covered with goldBooks of wood here, and in another library. "At D*********,3 I looked into the "The Thuilleries-Statues-Venus-books in the lady's closet, and in contempt En. and Anchises in his arms-Nilus-showed them to Mr. T[hrale]- Prince Many more-The walks not open to mean Titi 4; Bibl. des Fées,' and other books-persons-Chairs at night hired for two sous She was offended, and shut up, as we heard afterwards, her apartment.

a piece-Pont tournant 9.

"Austin Nuns 10-Grate-Mrs. Fermor, "Then we went to Julien le Roy, the Abbess-She knew Pope, and thought him king's watch-maker, a man of character in disagreeable-Mrs. has many bookshis business, who showed a small clock made has seen life-Their frontlet disagreeable-to find the longitude-A decent man. Their hood-Their life easy--Kise about "Afterwards we saw the Palais March-five; hour and half in chapel-Dine at ten and 5 and the courts of justice, civil and

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4 [The history of Prince Titi was said to be the auto-biography of Frederick, Prince of Wales, but was probably written by Ralph, his secretary. See Park's Roy. and Nob. Auth. vol. i. p. 171.-ED.] [A ludicrous error of the Editor's, illustrative of the vice of annotators, whose optics are too apt to behold mysteries in very plain matters. The History of Prince Titi was a child's book with that title.-F. J.]

5 [Dr. Johnson is in error in applying, as he always does, the name of Palais-Marchand to the whole of that vast building called generally the Palais, which from being the old palace of the kings of France had (like our own palace of Westminster) become appropriated to the sittings of the parliament and the courts of justice; and

Another hour and half in chapel; half an the Conciergerie of that palace (like the Gatehouse of ours) became a prison. The Palais Marchand was only the stalls (like what are now called bazars) which were placed along some of the galleries and corridors of the Palais.-ED.] [The selette was a stool on which the crimi nal sat while he was interrogated-questioned by the court. This is what Johnson means by queries."-ED.]

66

6

7 This passage, which so many think supersti tious, reminds me of " Archbishop Laud's Diary."-BOSWELL. [It, perhaps, had no superstitious meaning. He felt, it would seem, his mind disturbed, and may naturally have been apprehensive of becoming worse.-Ën.]

8 [A round table, the centre of which descended by machinery to a lower floor; so that supper might be served and removed without the presence of servants. It was invented by Louis XV. during the favour of Madame du Barri.-ED.]

9 [Before the revolution, the passage from the garden of the Thuilleries into the Place Louis XV. was over a pont tournant, a kind of drawbridge.-ED.]

10 [The English convent of Notre Dame de Sion, of the order of St. Augustine, situated in the Rue des Fossés St. Victor.-ED.]

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