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hope, are now at an end; and if you find the progrefs. hereafter not fuch as you have a right to expect, you can easily stimulate a negligent translator.

If any or all these have contributed to your discontent, I will endeavour to remove it; and defire you to propofe the queftion to which you wish for an answer.

I am, SIR, your humble servant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

LETTER

VIII.

To MR. CAVE.

DEAR SIR,

[No date.]

I AM pretty much of your opinion, that the Commentary cannot be profecuted with any appearance of

- French Edition of Dr. Le Courayer. To which are added, Obfervations on the History and Notes; and Illuftrations from various Authors; both printed and manufcript. By S. Johnfon. 1. The work will confift of two hundred fheets, and be two volumes in quarto, printed on good paper and letter. 2.. The price will be 18s. each volume, to -be paid half a guinea at the time of fubfcribing, half a guinea at the delivery of the first volume, and the rest at the delivery of the second volume in fheets. 3. Two-pence to be abated for every sheet less than two hundred. It may be had on a large paper, in three volumes, at the price of three guineas; one to be paid at the time of fubfcribing, another at the delivery of the firft, and the reft at the delivery of the other volumes. The work is now in the prefs, and will be diligently profecuted. Subfcriptions are taken in by Mr. Dodfley in Pall-Mall, Mr. Rivington in St. Paul's Church-yard, by E. Cave at St. John's Gate, and the Tranflator, at N° 6, in Castle-ftreet, by Cavendishfquare." N.

fuccefs:

fuccefs; for as the names of the authors concerned are of more weight in the performance than its own intrinfick merit, the public will be foon fatisfied with it. And I think the Examen should be pushed forward with the utmost expedition. Thus, "This day, &c. An Exa- . "men of Mr. Pope's Effay, &c. containing a fuccinct "Account of the Philofophy of Mr. Leibnitz on the Syftem of the Fatalifts, with a Confutation of their Opinions, and an Illustration of the Doctrine of Free" will *;" [with what else think proper.]

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*This treatise was published, Price 2s. in November 1738, under the title of An Examination of Mr. Pope's Effay on Man; containing a fuccinct View of the Syftem of the Fatalifts, and a Confutation of their Opinions; with an Illuftration of the Doctrine of Free-will, and an Enquiry what View Mr. Pope might have in touching upon the Leibnitzian Philofophy and Fatalifm. By Mr. Croufaz, Profeffor of Philofophy and Mathematicks at Laufanne, &c. Printed for A. Dodd, without Temple Bar, and fold by the Bookfellers." See Gent. Mag. vol. VIII. p. 608. 664. N.

"Croufaz was a profeffor of Switzerland, eminent for his treatise of Logick, and his Examen de Pyrrhonifme, and, however little known or regarded here, was no mean antagonist. His mind was one of those in which Philofophy and Piety are happily united. He was accuftomed to argument and difquifition, and perhaps was grown too defirous of detecting faults; but his intentions were always right, his opinions were folid, and his religion pure. His inceffant vigilance for the promotion of Piety difpofed him to look with distrust upon all metaphyfical systems of Theology, and all fchemes of virtue and happiness purely rational; and therefore it was not long before he was perfuaded that the pofitions of Pope, as they terminated for the most part in natural religion, were intended to draw mankind away from revelation, and to represent the whole courfe of things as a neceffary concatenation of indiffoluble fatality; and it is undeniable, that in many passages a religious eye may easily discover expreffions not very favourable to morals, or to liberty." Dr. JOHNSON.

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It will, above all, be neceffary to take notice, that it is a thing diftinct from the Commentary.

I was fo far from imagining they flood ftill, that I conceived them to have a good deal beforehand, and therefore was lefs anxious in providing them more. But if ever they ftand ftill on my account, it must doubtlefs be charged to me; and whatever elfe fhall be reafonable, I fhall not oppofe; but beg a fufpenfe of judgment till morning, when I muft intreat you to fend me a dozen propofals, and you fhall then have copy to fpare. I am, SIR, yours, impranfus,

SAM. JOHNSON.

Pray mufter up the Proposals if you can, or let the boy recall them from the book fellers.

LETTER IX,

To MR. CAVE,

DEAR SIR,

[No date.]

YOU may remember I have formerly talked with you about a Military Dictionary. The eldest Mr. Macbean, who was with Mr. Chambers, has very good materials for fuch a work, which I have feen, and will do it at a very low rate. I think the terms of War and

The compofitors in Mr. Cave's printing-office, who appear by this letter to have then waited for copy. N.

Navigation

Navigation might be comprised with good explanations in one 8vo Pica, which he is willing to do for twelve fhillings a fheet, to be made up a guinea at the second impreffion. If you think on it, I will wait on you with I am, SIR,

him.

Your humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

Pray lend me Topfel on Animals.

to;

SIR,

LETTER X.

To DR. BIRCH.

Thursday, Sept. 29, 1743.

I HOPE you will excufe me for troubling you on an occafion on which I know not whom elfe I can apply I am at a lofs for the Lives and Characters of Earl Stanhope, the two Craggs, and the Minifter Sunderland; and beg that you will inform [me] where I may find them, and fend any pamphlets, &c. relating to them to Mr. Cave, to be perused for a few days by, SIR, Your most humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

LETTER XI.

To MR. ELPHINSTON,

SIR,

I HAVE for a long while intended to answer the letter which you were pleased to send me, and know not

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why

why I have delayed it fo long; but that I had nothing particular, either of inquiry or information to fend you and the fame reason might still have the fame confequence; but that I find in my reclufe kind of life, that I am not likely to have much more to say, at one time than another, and that therefore I may endanger by an appearance of neglect, long continued, the lofs of fuch an acquaintance as I know not where to fupply. I therefore write now to affure you how fenfible I am of the kindness you have always expreffed to me, and how much I defire the cultivation of that benevolence, which, perhaps, nothing but the distance between us has hindered from ripening before this time into friendship. Of myfelf I have very little to fay, and of any body elfe lefs: let me, however, be allowed one thing, and that in my own favour; that I am,

Dear SIR,

Your most humble fervant,

April 20, 1749.

SAM. JOHNSON,

LETTER XII.

To DR. BIRCH.

SIR, Gough-fquare, May 12, 1750. KNOWING that you are now preparing to favour the public with a new edition of Raleigh's miscellaneous pieces, I have taken the liberty to fend you a manufcript*,

* This was published by Newbery in 8vo. 1750, under the title of "The Interest of England with regard to foreign alliances explained in two Difcourfes. I. Concerning a match propounded by the Savoyan, between the Lady Elizabeth and the Prince of Piemont. II. Touching a marriage between Prince Henry of England, and a daughter of Savoy." which

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