which fell by chance within my notice. I perceive no proofs of forgery in my examination of it; and the owner tells me, that, as he has heard, the hand-writing is Sir Walter's: If you should find reafon to conclude it genuine, it will be a kindness to the owner, a blind perfon*, to recommend it to the bookfellers.

YOU have, as I find, by every kind of evidence, loft an excellent mother, and I hope you will not think me incapable of partaking of your grief. I have a mother now eighty-two years of age, whom therefore I must foon lofe, unless it pleafe God that fhe rather should mourn for me. I read the letters in which you relate your mother's death to Mrs. Strahan; and think I do myself honour when I tell you that I read them with tears; but tears are neither to me nor to you of any farther use, when once the tribute of nature has been paid. The business of life fummons us away from useless grief, and calls us to the exercife of thofe virtues of which we are lamenting our deprivation. The greateft benefit which one friend can confer upon another, is to guard

* Mrs. Williams, probably, the perfon recommended to Mr. Garrick in Letter 18. N.

and

and incite, and elevate his virtues. This your mother will still perform, if you diligently preferve the memory of her life, and of her death: a life fo far as I can learn, useful and wife; innocent; and a death refigned, peaceful, and holy. I cannot forbear to mention, that neither reason nor revelation denies you to hope that you may increase her happiness by obeying her precepts; and that the may, in her prefent ftate, look with pleafure, upon every act of virtue to which her inftructions or example have contributed. Whether this be more than a pleasing dream, or a juft opinion of separate fpirits, is indeed of no great importance to us, when we confider ourselves as acting under the of God: yet furely there is fomething pleasing in the belief, that our feparation from those whom we love is merely corporeal; and it may be a great incitement to virtuous friendship, if it can be made probable, that union which has received the divine approbation, fhall continue to eternity.

eye

There is one expedient, by which you may, in fome degree, continue her prefence. If you write down minutely what you remember of her from your earliest years, you will read it with great pleasure, and receive from it many hints of foothing recollection, when time fhall remove her yet farther from you, and your grief fhall be matured to veneration. To this, however painful for the present, I cannot but advise you, as to a fource of comfort and fatisfaction in the time to come: for all comfort and all fatisfaction is fincerely wifhed you by, Dear SIR,

Your most obliged, moft obedient,

Sept. 25, 1750.

and most humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

8

LET

LETTER

XIV.

To MR. ELPHIN STON*.

DEAR SIR,

I CANNOT but confefs the failure of my correfpondence, but hope the fame regard which you exprefs for me, on every other occafion, will incline you to for give me. I am often, very often ill, and when I am well, am obliged to work; but, indeed, have never much used myself to punctuality. You are, however, not to make fuch kind of inferences, when I forbear to reply to your kindness; for be affured, I never receive a letter from you without great pleasure, and very warm fenfe of your generofity and friendship, which I heartily blame myself for not cultivating with more care. In this, as in many other cafes, I go wrong in oppofition to conviction; for I think fcarce any temporal good equally to be defired with the regard and familiarity of worthy men, and hope we shall be fome time nearer to each other, and have a more ready way of pouring out our hearts.

I am glad that you ftill find encouragement to perfevere in your publication †, and shall beg the favour of fix more volumes to add to my former fix, when you can, with any convenience, fend them me. Please to

Tranflator of Martial, Boffuet, &c. and formerly mafter of an academy at Kenfington.

+ This was of the Rambler, at Edinburgh, to which Mr. Elphinfton tranflated the mottos

prefent

present a set in my name to Mr. Ruddiman ‡, of whom I hear, that his learning is not his highest excellence. . I have transcribed the mottos, and returned them, I hope not too late, of which I think many very happily performed. Mr. Cave has put the last in the Magazine §, in which I think he did well. I beg of you to write foon, and to write often, and to write long letters; which I hope in time to repay you, but you must be a patient creditor. I have, however, this of gratitude, that I think of you with regard, when I do not perhaps give the proofs which I ought of piety. SIR,

Your most obliged, and most humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

LETTER

XV.

TO THE REV. DR. TAYLOR.

DEAR SIR,

LET me have your company and your inftruction. Do not live away from me; my diftrefs is great.

Pray defire Mrs. Taylor to inform me what mourning I fhould buy for my mother and Miss Porter, and bring a note in writing with you.

Remember me in your prayers; for vain is the help I am, dear SIR, &c.

of man.

March 18, 1752.

SAM. JOHNSON.

A very learned writer, author of feveral historical and philolo.

gical works. He died January 1757.

See Gent. Mag. Oct. 1752, p. 468.

LET

To DR. HUDDESFORD.

Reverendo admodum viro G. HUDDESFORD, S.T.P. Oxonienfis academiæ Vice Cancellario digniffimo. INGRATUS plane et tibi et mihi videar, nifi quanto me gaudio affecerent, quos nuper mihi honores, te credo auctore, decrevit fenatus academicus, literarum, quo tamen nihil levius, officio fignificem: ingratus etiam, nifi comitatem, qua vir eximius * mihi vestri teftimonium amoris in manus tradidit, agnofcam et laudem. Siquid eft, unde rei tam gratæ accedat gratia, hoc ipfo magis mihi placet, quod eo tempore in ordines academicos denuo cooptatus fim, quo tuam imminuere auctoritatem, famamque Oxoniæ lædere, omnibus modis conantur homines vafri nec tamen acuti: quibus ego, prout viro umbratico licuit, femper reftiti, femper reftiturus. Qui enim, inter has rerum procellas, vel tibi vel academiæ defuerit, illum virtuti, et literis, fibique, et pofteris defuturum exiftimo.

S. JOHNSON.

LETTER

XVII.

To MR. WARTO N.

DEAR SIR,

Feb. 1, 1755

I WROTE to you fome weeks ago, but I believe did not direct accurately, and therefore know not whe

* Dr. King, of St. Mary Hall, who delivered the Diploma to Johnfon in London,

ther