[1215] See ante, p. 216.
[1216] Yet, according to Johnson, 'the poor in England were better provided for than in any other country of the same extent.' Ante, ii. 130.
[1217] See ante, ii. 119.
[1218] See ante, i. 67, note 2.
[1219] The Rev. Dr. Law, Bishop of Carlisle, in the Preface to his valuable edition of Archbishop King's Essay on the Origin of Evil [ed. 1781, p. xvii], mentions that the principles maintained in it had been adopted by Pope in his Essay on Man; and adds, 'The fact, notwithstanding such denial (Bishop Warburton's), might have been strictly verified by an unexceptionable testimony, viz that of the late Lord Bathurst, who saw the very same system of the [Greek: to beltion] (taken from the Archbishop) in Lord Bolingbroke's own hand, lying before Mr. Pope, while he was composing his Essay.' This is respectable evidence; but that of Dr. Blair is more direct from the fountain-head, as well as more full. Let me add to it that of Dr. Joseph Warton; 'The late Lord Bathurst repeatedly assured me that he had read the whole scheme of The Essay on Man, in the hand-writing of Bolingbroke, and drawn up in a series of propositions, which Pope was to versify and illustrate.' Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope, vol. ii. p. 62. BOSWELL. In the above short quotation from Law are two parentheses. According to Paley, the Bishop was once impatient at the slowness of his Carlisle printer. '"Why does not my book make its appearance?" said he to the printer. "My Lord, I am extremely sorry; but we have been obliged to send to Glasgow for a pound of parentheses."' Best's Memorials, p. 196.
[1220] Johnson, defining ascertain in its first meaning as establish, quotes from Hooker: 'The divine law ascertaineth the truth of other laws.'
[1221] 'To those who censured his politicks were added enemies yet more dangerous, who called in question his knowledge of Greek, and his qualifications for a translator of Homer. To these he made no publick opposition; but in one of his letters escapes from them as well as he can. At an age like his, for he was not more than twenty-five, with an irregular education, and a course of life of which much seems to have passed in conversation, it is not very likely that he overflowed with Greek. But when he felt himself deficient he sought assistance; and what man of learning would refuse to help him?' Johnson's Works, viii. 252. Johnson refers, I think, to Pope's letter to Addison of Jan. 30, 1713-14.
[1222] 'That those communications had been consolidated into a scheme regularly drawn and delivered to Pope, from whom it returned only transformed from prose to verse, has been reported but can hardly be true. The Essay plainly appears the fabrick of a poet; what Bolingbroke supplied could be only the first principles; the order, illustration and embellishments must all be Pope's.' Works, viii. 287. Dr. Warton (Essay on Pope, ii. 58) says that he had repeatedly heard from Lord Bathurst the statement recorded by Dr. Blair.
[1223] 'In defiance of censure and contempt truth is frequently violated; and scarcely the most vigilant and unremitted circumspection will secure him that mixes with mankind from being hourly deceived by men, of whom it can scarcely be imagined that they mean any injury to him or profit to themselves.' Works, iv. 22.
[1224] See ante, pp. 226, 243.
[1225] Gibbon wrote of Lord Hailes:--'In his Annals of Scotland he has shewn himself a diligent collector and an accurate critic.' Gibbon's Misc. Works, i. 233.
[1226] See ante, ii. 237.
[1227] See ante, ii. 79.
[1228]
'Versate diu quid ferre recusent, Quid valeant humeri.' 'Weigh with care What suits your genius, what your strength can bear.'
FRANCIS. Horace, Ars Poet. 1. 39.
[1229] Boswell seems to be afraid of having his head made to ache again, by the sense that Johnson should put into it. See ante, p. 381.
[1230] The Spleen, a Poem. BOSWELL. The author was Matthew Green. Dodsley's Collection, i. 145. See ante, p. 38.
[1231] See ante, i. 182.
[1232] Of Dryden he wrote (Works, vii. 250):--'He began even now to exercise the domination of conscious genius by recommending his own performance.'
[1233] See ante, i. 297.
[1234] Johnson's Works, vii. 95. See ante, i. 111.
[1235]
1. Exeter-street, off Catherine-street, Strand. [March 1737, ante, i. 103.] 2. Greenwich. [July 1737, ante, i. 107.] 3. Woodstock-street, near Hanover-square. [End of 1737, ante, i. III.] 4. Castle-street, Cavendish-square, No. 6. [Spring and October 1738; ante, i. 120, and 135, note 1. Castle-street is now called Castle-street East.] 5. Strand. 6. Boswell-Court. 7. Strand, again. [In Croker's Boswell, p. 44, is a letter dated, 'At the Black Boy, over against Durham Yard, Strand, March 31, 1741.'] 8. Bow-street. 9. Holborn. 10. Fetter-lane. [Johnson mentions in Pr. and Med. p. 73, 'A good night's rest I once had in Fetter-Lane.'] 11. Holborn, again. 12. Gough-square. [In Croker's Boswell, p. 62, is a letter dated 'Goff-square, July 12, 1749.' He moved to Staple Inn on March 23, 1759.