APPENDIX A.
(Page 115, note 4.)
There are at least three accounts of this altercation and three versions of the lines. Two of these versions nearly agree. The earliest is found in a letter by Richard Burke, senior, dated Jan. 6, 1773 (Burke Corres. i. 403); the second in The Annual Register for 1776, p. 223; and the third in Miss Reynolds's Recollections (Croker's Boswell, 8vo. p. 833). R. Burke places the scene in Reynolds's house. Whether he himself was present is not clear. 'The dean,' he says, 'asserted that after forty-five a man did not improve. "I differ with you, Sir," answered Johnson; "a man may improve, and you yourself have great room for improvement." The dean was confounded, and for the instant silent. Recovering, he said, "On recollection I see no cause to alter my opinion, except I was to call it improvement for a man to grow (which I allow he may) positive, rude, and insolent, and save arguments by brutality."' Neither the Annual Register nor Miss Reynolds reports the Dean's speech. But she says that 'soon after the ladies withdrew, Dr. Johnson followed them, and sitting down by the lady of the house [that is by herself, if they were at Sir Joshua's] he said, "I am very sorry for having spoken so rudely to the Dean." "You very well may, Sir." "Yes," he said, "it was highly improper to speak in that style to a minister of the gospel, and I am the more hurt on reflecting with what mild dignity he received it."' If Johnson really spoke of the Dean's mild dignity, it is clear that Richard Burke's account is wrong. But it was written just after the scene, and Boswell says there was 'a pretty smart altercation.' Miss Reynolds continues:—'When the Dean came up into the drawing-room, Dr. Johnson immediately rose from his seat, and made him sit on the sofa by him, and with such a beseeching look for pardon and with such fond gestures—literally smoothing down his arms and his knees,' &c. The Annual Register says that Barnard the next day sent the verses addressed to 'Sir Joshua Reynolds & Co.' On the next page I give Richard Burke's version of the lines, and show the various readings.
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MISS REYNOLD'S RICHARD BURKE'S VERSION. Annual Register VERSION I lately thought no man alive Could e'er improve past forty-five, And ventured to assert it; The observation was not new, But seem'd to me so just and true, That none could controvert it. 'No, Sir,' says Johnson, ''tis not so; 'Tis That's your mistake, and I can show An instance, if you doubt it; You who perhaps are You, Sir, who are near forty-eight, still May much improve, 'tis not too late; I wish you'd set about it.' Encouraged thus to mend my faults, I turn'd his counsel in my thoughts, could Which way I should apply it: Genius I knew was Learning and wit seem'd past my reach, what none can For who can learn where none will teach? when And wit—I could not buy it. Then come, my friends, and try your skill, may You can improve me, if you will; inform (My books are at a distance). With you I'll live and learn; and then Instead of books I shall read men, So lend me your assistance. To Dear Knight of Plympton[1301], teach me how unclouded To suffer with unruffled brow, as And smile serene like thine, and The jest uncouth or truth severe, Like thee to turn To such apply my deafest ear, To such And calmly drink my wine. I'll turn Thou say'st, not only skill is gain'd, attained But genius too may be obtain'd, attained invitation By studious imitation; Thy temper mild, thy genius fine, study I'll copy till I make them mine, thee meditation By constant application. Thy art of pleasing teach me, Garrick, reverest (sic) Thou who reversest odes Pindarick[1302], A second time read o'er; Oh! could we read thee backwards too, Past Last thirty years thou shouldst review, And charm us thirty more. If I have thoughts and can't express 'em, Gibbon shall teach me how to dress 'em In terms select and terse; Jones teach me modesty—and Greek; Smith how to think; Burke how to speak, Burk And Beauclerk to converse. Let Johnson teach me how to place In fairest light each borrowed grace, From him I'll learn to write; free and easy Copy his clear and easy style, clear And from the roughness of his file, familiar like Grow as himself—polite.' like |
Horace Walpole, on Dec. 27, 1775, speaks of these verses as if they were fresh. 'They are an answer,' he writes, 'to a gross brutality of Dr. Johnson, to which a properer answer would have been to fling a glass of wine in his face. I have no patience with an unfortunate monster trusting to his helpless deformity for indemnity for any impertinence that his arrogance suggests, and who thinks that what he has read is an excuse for everything he says.' Horace Walpole's Letters, vi. 302. It is strange that Walpole should be so utterly ignorant of Johnson's courage and bodily strength. The date of Walpole's letter makes me suspect that Richard Burke dated his Jan. 6, 1775 (he should have written 1776), and that the blunder of a copyist has changed 1775 into 1773.
APPENDIX B.
(Page 238.)
Had Boswell continued the quotation from Priestley's Illustrations of Philosophical Necessity he would have shown that though Priestley could not hate the rioters, he could very easily prosecute them. He says:—