Her dialect will not be gross. Her Mamma has not much Scotch, and you have yourself very little. I hope she knows my name, and does not call me Johnston[311].
'The immediate cause of my writing is this:--One Shaw[312], who seems a modest and a decent man, has written an Erse Grammar, which a very learned Highlander, Macbean[313], has, at my request, examined and approved.
'The book is very little, but Mr. Shaw has been persuaded by his friends to set it at half a guinea, though I advised only a crown, and thought myself liberal. You, whom the authour considers as a great encourager of ingenious men, will receive a parcel of his proposals and receipts. I have undertaken to give you notice of them, and to solicit your countenance. You must ask no poor man, because the price is really too high. Yet such a work deserves patronage.
'It is proposed to augment our club from twenty to thirty, of which I am glad; for as we have several in it whom I do not much like to consort with[314], I am for reducing it to a mere miscellaneous collection of conspicuous men, without any determinate character.
* * * * *
'I am, dear Sir,
'Most affectionately your's,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 11, 1777.'
'My respects to Madam, to Veronica, to Alexander, to Euphemia, to David.'
'MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON.
'Edinburgh, April 4, 1777.
[After informing him of the death of my little son David, and that I could not come to London this spring:--]
'I think it hard that I should be a whole year without seeing you. May I presume to petition for a meeting with you in the autumn? You have, I believe, seen all the cathedrals in England, except that of Carlisle. If you are to be with Dr. Taylor, at Ashbourne, it would not be a great journey to come thither. We may pass a few most agreeable days there by ourselves, and I will accompany you a good part of the way to the southward again. Pray think of this.
'You forget that Mr. Shaw's Erse Grammar was put into your hands by myself last year. Lord Eglintoune put it into mine. I am glad that Mr. Macbean approves of it. I have received Mr. Shaw's Proposals for its publication, which I can perceive are written by the hand of a MASTER.
* * * * *
'Pray get for me all the editions of Walton's Lives: I have a notion that the republication of them with Notes will fall upon me, between Dr. Home and Lord Hailes[315].'
Mr. Shaw's Proposals[dagger] for An Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language, were thus illuminated by the pen of Johnson:
'Though the Erse dialect of the Celtick language has, from the earliest times, been spoken in Britain, and still subsists in the northern parts and adjacent islands, yet, by the negligence of a people rather warlike than lettered, it has hitherto been left to the caprice and judgement of every speaker, and has floated in the living voice, without the steadiness of analogy, or direction of rules. An Erse Grammar is an addition to the stores of literature; and its authour hopes for the indulgence always shewn to those that attempt to do what was never done before. If his work shall be found defective, it is at least all his own: he is not like other grammarians, a compiler or transcriber; what he delivers, he has learned by attentive observation among his countrymen, who perhaps will be themselves surprized to see that speech reduced to principles, which they have used only by imitation.
'The use of this book will, however, not be confined to the mountains and islands; it will afford a pleasing and important subject of speculation, to those whose studies lead them to trace the affinity of languages, and the migrations of the ancient races, of mankind.'
'To DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.
'Glasgow, April 24, 1777. 'MY DEAR SIR,
'Our worthy friend Thrale's death having appeared in the newspapers, and been afterwards contradicted, I have been placed in a state of very uneasy uncertainty, from which I hoped to be relieved by you: but my hopes have as yet been vain. How could you omit to write to me on such an occasion? I shall wait with anxiety.
'I am going to Auchinleck to stay a fortnight with my father. It is better not to be there very long at one time. But frequent renewals of attention are agreeable to him.
'Pray tell me about this edition of "The English Poets, with a Preface, biographical and critical, to each Authour, by Samuel Johnson, LL.D." which I see advertised. I am delighted with the prospect of it. Indeed I am happy to feel that I am capable of being so much delighted with literature.[316] But is not the charm of this publication chiefly owing to the magnum nomen in the front of it?
'What do you say of Lord Chesterfield's Memoirs and last Letters?[317]
'My wife has made marmalade of oranges for you. I left her and my daughters and Alexander all well yesterday. I have taught Veronica to speak of you thus;--Dr. Johnson, not Jonston.
'I remain, my dear Sir, 'Your most affectionate, 'And obliged humble servant, 'JAMES BOSWELL.'
'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. 'DEAR SIR,
'The story of Mr.