ter I fhould not be willing, and if much worse, I fhould not be able to migrate. Your Lordship was firft folicited without my knowledge; but when I was told that you was pleased to honour me with your patronage, I did not expect to hear of a refufal; yet as I have had no long time to brood hope, and have not rioted in imaginary opulence, this cold reception has been fcarce a difappointment; and from your Lordship's kindness I have received a benefit which men like you are able to bestow. I fhall now live mihi carior, with a higher opinion of my own merit. I am, my LORD, Your Lordship's most obliged, And moft humble fervant, WHEN you were here, you were pleased, as I am told, to think my abfence an inconvenience. I should certainly have been very glad to give fo skilful a Lover of of Antiquities any information about my native place, of which however I know not much, and have reafon to believe that not much is known. Though I have not given you any amusement, I have received amusement from you. At Afhbourne, where I had very little company, I had the luck to borrow "Mr. Bowyer's Life," a book fo full of contemporary history, that a literary man must find fome of his old friends. I thought that I could now and then have told you some hints worth your notice; and perhaps we may talk a life over. I hope we shall be much together. You must now be to me what you were before, and what dear Mr. Allen was befides. He was taken unexpectedly away, but I think he was a very good man. I have made little progress in recovery. I am very weak, and very fleepless; but I live on, and hope. I am, SIR, Your most humble fervant, SIR, LETTER XLI. To MR. NICHOLS. THE late learned Mr. Swinton of Oxford having one day remarked that one man, meaning, I fuppofe, no no man but himself, could affign all the parts of the Ancient Univerfal History to their proper authors; at the request of Sir Robert Chambers *, or of myself, gave the account which I now tranfmit to you in his own hand, being willing that of fo great a work the history should be known, and that each writer should receive his due proportion of praise from pofterity. I recommend to you to preferve this fcrap of literary intelligence in Mr. Swinton's own hand, or to deposit it in the Museum, that the veracity of this account may never be doubted. The History of the Differtation on the Peopling of America. the Arabs. on the Independency of The Cofmogony, and a fmall part of the hiftory immediately following. By Mr. Sale. To the Birth of Abraham. Chiefly by Mr. Shelvock. Hiftory of the Jews, Gauls, and Spaniards. By Mr. Pfalmanazar. Xenophon's Retreat. By the fame. History of the Perfians, and the Conftantinopolitan Empire. By Dr. Campbell. Hiftory of the Romans. By Mr. Bower. EPITAPH S. AT LITCHFIELD. H. S. E. MICHAEL JOHNSON. VIR impavidus conftans, animofus, periculorum immemor, laborum patientiffimus; fiduciâ Chriftianâ fortis, fervidufque; Paterfamilias apprimè ftrenuus; Bibliopola admodum peritus; mente et libris et negotiis exculta; animo ita firmo, ut, rebus adverfis diu conflictatus, nec fibi nec fuis defuerit: Lingua fic temperata, ut ei nihil quod aures vel pias vel caftas læfiffet, aut dolor vel voluptas unquam exprefferit. Natus Cubleia in agro Derbienfi, anno MDCLVI, obijt MDCCXXXI. Appofita Appofita eft SARA Conjux. Antiqua FORDORUM gente oriunda: quam domi fedulam, foris paucis notam; nulli moleftam, mentis acumine et judicii fubtilitate præcellentem; aliis multum, fibi parum indulgentem: Æternitati semper attentam, omne fere Virtutis nomen commendavit. Nata Nortoniæ Regis, in agro Varvicenfi, anno MDCLXIX; obijt MDCCLIX. Cum NATHANAELE illorum filio, qui natus MDCCXII, cum vires et animi et corporis multa pollicerentur, anno MDCCXXXVII, vitam brevem pia morte finivit. IN BROMLEY CHURCH. Hic conduntur reliquiœ Antiqua JARVISIORUM gente Qui multum amatam, diuque defletam, Obijt Londini, menfe Mart. A. D. MDCCLIII. |