'I have another request which it is perhaps not immediately in your power to gratify. I have a presentation to beg for the blue coat hospital. The boy is a non-freeman, and has both his parents living. We have a presentation for a freeman which we can give in exchange. If in your extensive acquaintance you can procure such an exchange, it will be an act of great kindness. Do not let the matter slip out of your mind, for though I try others I know not any body of so much power to do it.
'I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'Dec. 22, 1774.'
The apprentice was young William Davenport, the orphan son of a clergyman. His friend was the Rev. W. Langley, the master of Ashbourne School. Strahan received him as an apprentice (ante, ii. 334, n. i). See also Nichols' Literary Anecdotes, vol. iii. p. 287.
The 'case' is the frame containing boxes for holding type.
X.
A letter about suppressions in 'Taxation no Tyranny! dated March 1, 1775.[In the possession of Mr. Frank T. Sabin, 10 & 12, Garrick Street Covent Garden.]
'SIR,
'I am sorry to see that all the alterations proposed are evidences of timidity. You may be sure that I do [? not] wish to publish, what those for whom I write do not like to have published. But print me half a dozen copies in the original state, and lay them up for me. It concludes well enough as it is.
'When you print it, if you print it, please to frank one to me here, and frank another to Mrs. Aston at Stow Hill, Lichfield.
'The changes are not for the better, except where facts were mistaken. The last paragraph was indeed rather contemptuous, there was once more of it which I put out myself.
'I am Sir, Your humble Servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 1, 1775.'
This letter refers to Taxation no Tyranny, which was published before March 31, 1775, the date of Boswell's arrival in London (ante, ii. 311). Boswell says that he had in his possession 'a few proof leaves of it marked with corrections in Johnson's own hand-writing' (ib. p. 313). Johnson, he says,' owned to me that it had been revised and curtailed by some of those who were then in power.' When Johnson writes 'when you print it, if you print it,' he uses, doubtless, print in the sense of striking off copies. The pamphlet was, we may assume, in type before it was revised by 'those in power.' The corrections had been made in the proof-sheets. Johnson asks to have six copies laid by for him in the state in which he had wished to publish it. It seems that the last paragraph had been struck out by the reviser, for Johnson says 'it was rather contemptuous.' He does not think it needful to supply anything in its place, for he says 'it concludes well enough as it is.'
Mr. Strahan had the right, as a member of Parliament, to frank all letters and packets. That is to say, by merely writing his signature on the cover he could pass them through the post free of charge. Johnson, when he wrote to Scotland, used to employ him to frank his letters, 'that he might have the consequence of appearing a parliament-man among his countrymen' (ante, iii. 364). It was to Oxford that a copy of the pamphlet was to be franked to Johnson. That he was there at the time is shown by a letter from him in Mrs. Piozzi's Collection (vol. i. p. 212), dated 'University College, Oxford, March 3, 1775.' Writing to her, evidently from Bolt Court, on February 3, he had said: 'My pamphlet has not gone on at all' (ib. i. 211). Mrs. Aston (or rather Miss Aston) is mentioned ante, ii. 466.
XI
A letter about 'copy' and a book by Professor Watson, dated Oct. 14, 1776'.[In the possession of Mr. H. Fawcett, of 14, King Street, Covent Garden.]
'SIR,
'I wrote to you about ten days ago, and sent you some copy. You have not written again, that is a sorry trick.
'I am told that you are printing a Book for Mr. Professor Watson of Saint Andrews, if upon any occasion, I can give any help, or be of any use, as formerly in Dr. Robertson's publication, I hope you will make no scruple to call upon me, for I shall be glad of an opportunity to show that my reception at Saint Andrews has not been forgotten.
'I am Sir, Your humble Servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'Oct. 14, 1776.'
The' copy' or MS. that Johnson sent is, I conjecture, Proposals for the Rev. Mr. Shaw's Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language (ante, iii. 107). This is the only acknowledged piece of writing of his during 1776. The book printing for Professor Watson was History of the Reign of Philip II, which was published by Strahan and Cadell in 1777. This letter is of unusual interest, as showing that Johnson had been of some service as regards one of Robertson's books. It is possible that he read some of the proof-sheets, and helped to get rid of the Scotticisms. 'Strahan,' according to Beattie, 'had corrected (as he told me himself) the phraseology of both Mr. Hume and Dr. Robertson' (ante, v. 92, n. 3). He is not unlikely, in Robertson's case, to have sought and obtained Johnson's help.
XII.
The following letter is published in Mr.