days no writing then-and, therefore, I must write to Mr. Johnson now, and defer the rest-why I must write to Mr. Johnson, rather than to others, he may find out.'

"You do not pity me, when I am whirled round by a succession of company; yet you are anxious for my health. Now this is, though perhaps unknown to you, really a contradiction. For one day's crowd, with the preceding necessary preparations to receive them, the honours, as it is called, of a large table, with the noise, &c. attending, pulls down my feeble frame more than any thing you can imagine. To that, air, gentle exercise, and then quiet and rest, are most friendly. You have often declared you cannot be alone; and I, as often, that I could not be long, unless I was some hours in every day alone. I have found myself mistaken; for yet I am in being, though for some time past I have seldom had one half hour in a day to myself; and I have learned this profitable lesson, that resignation is better than indulgence; and time is too precious a thing for me to have at my own disposal. Providence has given it to others, and, if it may profit them, I shall rejoice. It is all I desire.

"I can only be sorry that the text in the Corinthians does not prove to you what I would have it, and add to my prayers for you that it may prove it,

"Miss Fitzherbert is very well, and all my dear flock. She sends her love to you.

2

"You will prolong your visit to this part of the world, till some of us are so tired of it that we shall be moving towards you. Consider, it is almost October. When do you publish? Any news relating to you will be acceptable: if it is good, I shall rejoice; if not, hope to lessen any pain it may give you by the sharing it, as, dear sir, your truly affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

"DEAR SIR, I have been so great a rambler lately, that I have not had time to write. A week at Derby; another between Stafford and some other relations. The hurrying about proved too much for my strength, and disordered me a good deal; but now, thank God, I am better again. Your letter I met here, as I always do every one you write, with much pleasure. I expected this pleasure; and as I should have met disappointment if I had not had a letter, so the pleasure of one was increased. Few things can disappoint me; I look for no satisfaction from them; but you may greatly, as you have given me a confidence in your highly valued friendship. Complaints

for want of time will be one of those which must be made by all, whose hope is not full of immortality; and to this, the previous review of life, and reflections you have made, are necessary. I am persuaded you had not time to say more, or you could not have concluded your last as you did. A moment's reflection would have prevented a needless wish. 1

Have you read Mr. Law? not cursorily, but with attention? I wish you would consider him. 'His appeal to all that doubt, &c.' I think the most clear of all his later writings; and, in recommending it to you, I shall say no more or less than what you will see he says in his advertisement to the reader.

1

"In less than a month we are to be in Cavendish-square. Mr. Fitzherbert has fixed Friday se'nnight for going to town himself, and we are to follow soon after that time. Need I say, I shall be glad to see you? No-you know I shall; and, unless duty calls to Lichfield, I wish rather to have that visit deferred, till it may give me an opportunity of seeing you here on our return in the summer. Consider of this, and contrive so, if possible, as that both in summer and winter I may have the pleasure of your conversation ; which will greatly cheer the gloom of one season, and add to the smiles of the other. Such influence has such a friend on, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate humble servant, 713 - "H. BOOTHBY.

"My dear Miss Fitzherbert is well, very well, and has never given meone alarm since we came here. She sends you her love very sincerely."

f "DR. JOHNSON TO MISS BOOTHBY.

66 Saturday 2, [27th Dec. 1755.]

1

“Dearest deaR,—I am extremely obliged to you for the kindness of your inquiry. After I had written to you, Dr. Lawrence came, and would have given some oil and sugar, but I took rhenish and water, and recovered my voice. I yet cough much, and sleep ill. I have been visited by another doctor to-day; but I laughed at his balsam of Peru. I fasted on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and felt neither hunger nor faintness. I have dined yesterday and to-day, and found little refreshment. I am not much amiss; but can no more sleep than if my dearest lady were angry at, madam, your, &c.

I

"

[His mother was still alive and resident in Lichfield, but he never again visited that town during her life. See ante, vol. i. p. 274. n. p. 360.-Ed.]*

2 [Probably Saturday, 27th December, 1755. These undated notes it is not easy to arrange; but the order the editor has assigned to them seems probable and is consistent with the contents. It seems that while Johnson was labouring under some kind of feverish cold, Miss Boothby herself fell ill of a disease, of which she died in a fortnight.-ED.]

LETTER XXXI,

"Sunday night, (December, 17551.)

"MY DEAR SIR,-I am in trouble about you; and the more, as I am not able to see how you do myself-pray send me word. You have my sincere prayers; and the first moment I can, you shall see, dear sir, your affectionate friend,

"H. BOOTHBY

"I beg you would be governed by the good doctor while you are sick; when you are well, do as you please."

"DR. JOHNSON TO MISS BOOTHBY.

"30th December, 1755. "DEAR MADAM,-It is again midnight, and I am again alone. With what meditation shall I amuse this waste hour of darkness and vacuity? If I turn my thoughts upon myself, what do I perceive but a poor helpless being, reduced by a blast of wind to weakness and misery? How my present distemper was brought upon me I can give no account, but impute it to some sudden succession of cold to heat; such as in the common road of life cannot be avoided, and against which no precaution can be taken.

"Of the fallaciousness of hope and the uncertainty of schemes, every day gives some new proof; but it is seldom heeded, till something rather felt than seen awakens attention. This illness, in which I have suffered something, and feared much more, has depressed my confidence and elation; and made me consider all that I had promised myself, as less certain to be attained or enjoyed. I have endeavoured to form resolutions of a better life; but I form them weakly, under the consciousness of an external motive. Not that I conceive a time of sickness, a time improper for recollection and good purposes, which I believe diseases and calamities often sent to produce, but because no man can know how little his performance will answer to his promises; and designs are nothing in human eyes till they are realised by execution.

"Continue, my dearest, your prayers for me, that no good resolution may be vain. You think, I believe, better of me than I deserve. I hope to be in time what I wish to be; and what I have hitherto satisfied myself too readily with only wishing.

"Your billet brought me, what I much wished to have, a proof that I am still remembered by you at the hour in which I most desire it.

"The Doctor 2 is anxious about you. He thinks you too negligent

1 In Dr. Johnson's handwriting.-WRIGHT. [Probably Sunday, 28th Dec. 1755. Miss Boothby seems to have come to town in the preceding month.ED.]

2 [Doctor Lawrence.-ED.]

of yourself; if you will promise to be cautious, I will exchange promises, as we have already exchanged injunctions. However, do not write to me more than you can easily bear; do not interrupt your ease to write at all. uy foods a di

As Mr. Fitzherbert sent to-day to offer me some wine; the people about me say I ought to accept it. I shall therefore be obliged to him if he will send me a bottle.

uff There has gone about a report that I died to-day, which I mention, lest you should hear it and be alarmed. You see that I think. my death may alarm you; which, for me, is to think very highly of earthly friendship. I believe it arose from the death of one of my neighbours. You know Des Cartes' argument, I think; therefore I am. It is as good a consequence, I write; therefore I am alive.' I might give another, I am alive; therefore I love Miss Boothby;' but that I hope our friendship may be of far longer duration than life I am, dearest madam, with sincere affection, yours,

MY DEAR SIR,-Would I was able to reply fully to both your kind letters! but at present I am not. I trust we shall both be better soon, with a blessing upon our good doctor's means. I have been, as he can tell you, all obedience. As an answer to one part of your letter, I have sent you a little book 2. God bless you. I must defer the rest, till I am more able. Dear sir, your affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

ཝཱ

"Give Cooper some tickets.

"I am glad you sent for the hock. Mr. Fitzherbert has named it more than once.

"Thank you for saving me from what indeed might have greatly hurt me, had I heard or seen in a paper such a

"DR. JOHNSON TO MISS BOOTHBY.

M

"Wednesday, December 31, 1755. “MY SWEET ANGEL,—I have read your book, I am afraid you will think without any great improvement; whether you can read my notes, I know not. You ought not to be offended; I am perhaps as sincere as the writer. In all things that terminate here I shall be much guided by your influence, and should take or leave by your

1 In Dr. Johnson's handwriting.-WRIGHT.

2 [Probably not one of Law's works, mentioned in the letter of the 11th October. Dr. Johnson told Mr. Boswell (ante, vol. i. p. 39) that Law's Serious Call was the first book that ever awoke him to a sense of real religion. The work, whatever it was, lent him by Miss Boothby, he does not seem to have approved.-ED.]

direction; but I cannot receive my religion from any human hand. I desire however to be instructed, and am far from thinking myself perfect.

"I beg you to return the book when you have looked into it. should not have written what was in the margin, had I not had it from you, or had I not intended to show it you, tot 9mcial alttil * It affords me a new conviction, that in these books there is little new, except new forms of expression; which may be sometimes 'taken, even by the writer, for new doctrines, blom I bosbai deiw

"I sincerely hope that God, whom you so much desire to serve aright, will bless you, and restore you to health, if he sees it best. Surely no human understanding can pray for anything temporal otherwise than conditionally. Dear angel, do not forget me. My heart is full of tenderness.

"It has pleased God to permit me to be much better; which I believe will please you.

"Give me leave, who have thought much on medicine, to propose to you an easy, and I think a very probable remedy for indigestion and lubricity of the bowels. Dr. Lawrence has told me your case. Take an ounce of dried orange peel finely powdered, divide it into scruples, and take one scruple at a time in any manner; the best way is perhaps to drink it in a glass of hot red port, or to eat it first, and drink the wine after it. If you mix cinnamon or nutmeg with the powder, it were not worse; but it will be more bulky, and so more troublesome. This is a medicine not disgusting, noth costly, easily tried, and if not found useful, easily left off1.

"I would not have you offer it to the doctor as mine. Physicians do not love intruders; yet do not take it without his leave. But do not, be easily put off, for it is in my opinion very likely to help you, and not likely to do you harm: do not take too much in haste;s a scruple once in three hours, or about five scruples la day, will be sufficient to begin or less, if you find any aversion. I think using sugar with it might be bad; if syrup, use old syrup of quinces; but even that I do not like. I should think better of conserve of sloes. Has the doctor mentioned the bark? In powder you could hardly take it; perhaps you might take the infusion.

T

"Do not think me troublesome, I am full of care. I love you and honour you, and am very unwilling to lose your Dieu je vous recommande.I am, madam, your, &c. pa molloy di bazoqmoo rozsdol My compliments to my dear Miss."

66