138.
Haslitt's report of Baxter's Sermon.
(Vol. iv, p. 226, n. 2.)
The Rev. J. Hamilton Davies tells me that he 'entirely disbelieves that Baxter said, "Hell was paved with infants' skulls." The same thing, or something very like it, has been said of Calvin, but I could never,' Mr. Davies continues, 'find it in his Works.' He kindly sends me the following extract from Reliquiae Baxterianae, ed. 1696, p. 24:--
'Once all the ignorant Rout were raging mad against me for preaching the Doctrine of Original Sin to them, and telling them that Infants before Regeneration had so much Guilt and Corruption, as made them loathsome in the Eyes of God: whereupon they vented it abroad in the Country, That I preached that God hated, or loathed Infants; so that they railed at me as I passed through the streets. The next Lord's Day, I cleared and confirmed it, and shewed them that if this were not true, their Infants had no need of Christ, of Baptism, or of Renewing by the Holy Ghost. And I asked them whether they durst say that their Children were saved without a Saviour, and were no Christians, and why they baptized them, with much more to that purpose, and afterwards they were ashamed and as mute as fishes.'
Johnson on an actor's transformation.
(Vol. iv, p. 244.)
Boswell in his Remarks on the Profession of a Player (Essay ii), first printed in the London Magazine for 1770, says:--
'I remember to have heard the most illustrious authour of this age say: "If, Sir, Garrick believes himself to be every character that he represents he is a madman, and ought to be confined. Nay, Sir, he is a villain, and ought to be hanged. If, for instance, he believes himself to be Macbeth he has committed murder, he is a vile assassin who, in violation of the laws of hospitality as well as of other principles, has imbrued his hands in the blood of his King while he was sleeping under his roof. If, Sir, he has really been that person in his own mind, he has in his own mind been as guilty as Macbeth." '--Nichols's Literary History, ed. 1848, vii. 373.
Sir John Flayer 'On the Asthma.'
(Vol. iv, p. 353.)
Johnson, writing from Ashbourne to Dr. Brocklesby on July 20, 1784, says: 'I am now looking into Floyer who lived with his asthma to almost his ninetieth year.' Mr. Samuel Timmins, the author of Dr. Johnson in Birmingham, informs me that he and two friends of his lately found in Lichfield a Lending Book of the Cathedral Library. Among the entries for 1784 was: 'Sir John Floyer on the Asthma, lent to Dr. Johnson.' Johnson, no doubt, had taken the book with him to Ashbourne.
Mr. Timmins says that the entries in this Lending Book unfortunately do not begin till about 1760 (or later). 'If,' he adds, 'the earlier Lending Book could be found, it would form a valuable clue to books which Johnson may have borrowed in his youth and early manhood.'
Boswell's expectations from Burke.
(Vol. iv, p. 223, n. 2; and p. 258, n. 2.)
Boswell, in May 1783, mentioned to Johnson his 'expectations from the interest of an eminent person then in power.' The two following extracts from letters written by him show what some of these expectations had been.
'JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. TO JAMES ABERCROMBIE, ESQ., of Philadelphia. 'July 28,1793.
'I have a great wish to see America; and I once flattered myself that I should be sent thither in a station of some importance.' Nichols's Literary History, vii. 317.
Boswell had written to Burke on March 3, 1778: 'Most heartily do I rejoice that our present ministers have at last yielded to conciliation (ante, iii. 221). For amidst all the sanguinary zeal of my countrymen, I have professed myself a friend to our fellow-subjects in America, so far as they claim an exemption from being taxed by the representatives of the King's British subjects. I do not perfectly agree with you; for I deny the declaratory act, and I am a warm Tory in its true constitutional sense. I wish I were a commissioner, or one of the secretaries of the commission for the grand treaty. I am to be in London this spring, and if his Majesty should ask me what I would choose, my answer will be to assist at the compact between Britain and America.' --Burke's Correspondence, ii. 209.
Boswelf's intention to attend on Johnson in his illness, and to publish 'Praises' of him.
(Vol. iv, p. 265.)
'JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ., TO BISHOP PERCY.
'Edinburgh, 8 March, 1784.
"...I intend to be in London about the end of this month, chiefly to attend upon Dr. Johnson with respectful affection. He has for some time been very ill...I wish to publish as a regale [ante, iii. 308, n. 2; v. 347, n. 1] to him a neat little volume, The Praises of Dr. Johnson, by contemporary Writers. ...Will your Lordship take the trouble to send me a note of the writers you recollect having praised our much respected friend?...An edition of my pamphlet [ante, iv. 258] has been published in London."' --Nichols's Literary History, vii. 302.
The reported Russian version of the 'Rambler'.