The object of the author was to answer all Anderson's charges and imputations. This Horrebow did categorically, and hence come these Chapters, though it must be added that they owe their laconic celebrity to the English translator, the author being rather profuse than otherwise in giving his predecessor a flat denial.'
[812] See ante, p. 255.
[813] 'A fugitive from heaven and prayer,
I mocked at all religious fear, Deep scienced in the mazy lore Of mad philosophy: but now Hoist sail, and back my voyage plough To that blest harbour which I left before.'
FRANCIS. Horace, Odes, i. 34. 1.
[814] See ante, i. 315, and post, p. 288.
[815] Ovid, Meta. ii. 13.
[816] Johnson says (Works, viii. 355):--'The greater part of mankind have no character at all, have little that distinguishes them from others equally good or bad.' It would seem to follow that the greater part of mankind have no style at all, for it is in character that style takes its spring.
[817] 'Dodd's wish to be received into our society was conveyed to us only by a whisper, and that being the case all opposition to his admission became unnecessary.' Hawkins's Johnson, p. 435.
[818] See note, vol. iii. p. 106. BOSWELL. See post, p. 290, for Johnson's violence against the Americans and those who sided with them.
[819] The friend was Mr. Steevens. Garrick says (Corres. ii. 361) that Steevens had written things in the newspapers against him that were slanderous, and then had assured him upon his word and honour that he had not written them; that he had later on bragged that he had written them, and had said, 'that it was fun to vex me.' Garrick adds:--'I was resolved to keep no terms with him, and will always treat him as such a pest of society merits from all men.' 'Steevens, Dr. Parr used to say, had only three friends--himself, Dr. Farmer, and John Reed, so hateful was his character. He was one of the wisest, most learned, but most spiteful of men.' Johnstone's Parr, viii. 128. Boswell had felt Steevens's ill-nature. While he was carrying the Life of Johnson through the press, at a time when he was suffering from 'the most woeful return of melancholy,' he wrote to Malone,--'Jan 29, 1791. Steevens kindly tells me that I have over-printed, and that the curiosity about Johnson is now only in our own circle.... Feb. 25. You must know that I am certainly informed that a certain person who delights in mischief has been depreciating my book, so that I fear the sale of it may be very dubious.' Croker's Boswell, p. 828. A certain person was, no doubt, Steevens. See ante, ii. 375, and post, under March 30, 1783, and May 15, 1784.
[820]
'I own th' indulgence--Such I give and take.'
FRANCIS. Horace, Ars Poet. 1. II.
[821]
'We grant, altho' he had much wit, H' was very shy of using it, As being loth to wear it out.'
Hudibras, i. I. 45.
[822] 'Among the sentiments which almost every man changes as he advances into years is the expectation of uniformity of character.' The Rambler, No. 70. See ante, i. 161, note 2.
[823] See ante, iii. 55.
[824] After this follows a line which Boswell has omitted:--'Then rises fresh, pursues his wonted game.' Cato, act i. sc. 4.
[825] Boswell was right, and Oglethorpe wrong; the exclamation in Suetonius is, 'Utinam populus Romanus unam cervicem haberet.' Calig. xxx.--CROKER.
[826] 'Macaroon (macarone, Italian), a coarse, rude, low fellow; whence, macaronick poetry, in which the language is purposely corrupted.' Johnson's Dictionary. 'Macaroni, probably from old Italian maccare, to bruise, to batter, to pester; Derivative, macaronic, i.e. in a confused or mixed state (applied to a jumble of languages).' Skeat's Etymological Diet.
[827] Polemo-middinia, as the Commentator explains, is Proelium in sterquilinio commissum. In the opening lines the poet thus calls on the Skipperii, or Skippers:--
'Linquite skellatas botas, shippasque picatas, Whistlantesque simul fechtam memorate blodeam, Fechtam terribilem, quam marvellaverat omnis Banda Deum, quoque Nympharum Cockelshelearum.'
[828] In Best's Memorials, p. 63, is given another of these lines that Mr. Langton repeated:--'Five-poundon elendeto, ah! mala simplos.' For Joshua Barnes see post, 1780, in Mr. Langton's Collection.
[829] See ante, iii. 78.
[830] Dr. Johnson, describing her needle-work in one of his letters to Mrs. Thrale, vol. i. p. 326, uses the learned word sutile; which Mrs. Thrale has mistaken, and made the phrase injurious by writing 'futile pictures.' BOSWELL. See post, p. 299.
[831] See ante, ii. 252, note 2.
[832] The revolution of 1772. The book was published in 1778. Charles Sheridan was the elder brother of R.B. Sheridan.
[833] See ante, i. 467.
[834] 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. BOSWELL. Johnson himself once used this 'denomination.' Ante, i. 438.
[835] See ante, ii. 385.
[836] A translation of these forged letters which were written by M.