GarrickbeingnowvestedwiththeatricalpowerbybeingmanagerofDrury-lanetheatre，hekindlyandgenerouslymadeuseofittobringoutJohnson’stragedy，whichhadbeenlongkeptbackforwantofencouragement。ButinthisbenevolentpurposehemetwithnosmalldifficultyfromthetemperofJohnson，whichcouldnotbrookthatadramawhichhehadformedwithmuchstudy，andhadbeenobligedtokeepmorethanthenineyearsofHorace，shouldberevisedandalteredatthepleasureofanactor。YetGarrickknewwell，thatwithoutsomealterationsitwouldnotbefitforthestage。Aviolentdisputehavingensuedbetweenthem，GarrickappliedtotheReverendDr。Taylortointerpose。Johnsonwasatfirstveryobstinate。’Sir，saidhethefellowwantsmetomakeMahometrunmad，thathemayhaveanopportunityoftossinghishandsandkickinghisheels。’Hewas，however，atlast，withdifficulty，prevailedontocomplywithGarrick’swishes，soastoallowofsomechanges；butstilltherewerenotenough。
　　Dr。AdamswaspresentthefirstnightoftherepresentationofIrene，andgavemethefollowingaccount：’Beforethecurtaindrewup，therewerecatcallswhistling，whichalarmedJohnson’sfriends。
　　ThePrologue，whichwaswrittenbyhimselfinamanlystrain，soothedtheaudience，andtheplaywentofftolerably，tillitcametotheconclusion，whenMrs。Pritchard，theheroineofthepiece，wastobestrangleduponthestage，andwastospeaktwolineswiththebowstringroundherneck。Theaudiencecriedout“Murder!
　　Murder!“Sheseveraltimesattemptedtospeak；butinvain。Atlastshewasobligedtogooffthestagealive。’Thispassagewasafterwardsstruckout，andshewascarriedofftobeputtodeathbehindthescenes，astheplaynowhasit。TheEpilogue，asJohnsoninformedme，waswrittenbySirWilliamYonge。Iknownothowhisplaycametobethusgracedbythepenofapersonthensoeminentinthepoliticalworld。
　　NotwithstandingallthesupportofsuchperformersasGarrick，Barry，Mrs。Cibber，Mrs。Pritchard，andeveryadvantageofdressanddecoration，thetragedyofIrenedidnotpleasethepublick。
　　Mr。Garrick’szealcarrieditthroughforninenights，sothattheauthourhadhisthreenights’profits；andfromareceiptsignedbyhim，nowinthehandsofMr。JamesDodsley，itappearsthathisfriendMr。RobertDodsleygavehimonehundredpoundsforthecopy，withhisusualreservationoftherightofoneedition。
　　Whenaskedhowhefeltupontheillsuccessofhistragedy，hereplied，’LiketheMonument；’meaningthathecontinuedfirmandunmovedasthatcolumn。Andletitberemembered，asanadmonitiontothegenusirritabileofdramatickwriters，thatthisgreatman，insteadofpeevishlycomplainingofthebadtasteofthetown，submittedtoitsdecisionwithoutamurmur。Hehad，indeed，uponalloccasions，agreatdeferenceforthegeneralopinion：’Amansaidhewhowritesabook，thinkshimselfwiserorwittierthantherestofmankind；hesupposesthathecaninstructoramusethem，andthepublicktowhomheappeals，must，afterall，bethejudgesofhispretensions。’
　　Onoccasionofhisplaybeingbroughtuponthestage，Johnsonhadafancythatasadramatickauthourhisdressshouldbemoregaythanwhatheordinarilywore；hethereforeappearedbehindthescenes，andeveninoneofthesideboxes，inascarletwaistcoat，withrichgoldlace，andagold-lacedhat。HehumourouslyobservedtoMr。Langton，’thatwheninthatdresshecouldnottreatpeoplewiththesameeaseaswheninhisusualplainclothes。’Dressindeed，wemustallow，hasmoreeffectevenuponstrongmindsthanoneshouldsuppose，withouthavinghadtheexperienceofit。Hisnecessaryattendancewhilehisplaywasinrehearsal，andduringitsperformance，broughthimacquaintedwithmanyoftheperformersofbothsexes，whichproducedamorefavourableopinionoftheirprofessionthanhehadharshlyexpressedinhisLifeofSavage。
　　Withsomeofthemhekeptupanacquaintanceaslongasheandtheylived，andwaseverreadytoshewthemactsofkindness。HeforaconsiderabletimeusedtofrequenttheGreenRoom，andseemedtotakedelightindissipatinghisgloom，bymixinginthesprightlychit-chatofthemotleycirclethentobefoundthere。Mr。DavidHumerelatedtomefromMr。Garrick，thatJohnsonatlastdeniedhimselfthisamusement，fromconsiderationsofrigidvirtue；
　　saying，’I’llcomenomorebehindyourscenes，David；forthesilkstockingsandwhitebosomsofyouractressesexcitemyamorouspropensities。’
　　1750：AETAT。41。]——In1750hecameforthinthecharacterforwhichhewaseminentlyqualified，amajestickteacherofmoralandreligiouswisdom。Thevehiclewhichhechosewasthatofaperiodicalpaper，whichheknewhadbeen，uponformeroccasions，employedwithgreatsuccess。TheTatler，Spectator，andGuardian，werethelastofthekindpublishedinEngland，whichhadstoodthetestofalongtrial；andsuchanintervalhadnowelapsedsincetheirpublication，asmadehimjustlythinkthat，tomanyofhisreaders，thisformofinstructionwould，insomedegree，havetheadvantageofnovelty。AfewdaysbeforethefirstofhisEssayscameout，therestartedanothercompetitorforfameinthesameform，underthetitleofTheTatlerRevived，whichIbelievewas’bornbuttodie。’Johnsonwas，Ithink，notveryhappyinthechoiceofhistitle，TheRambler，whichcertainlyisnotsuitedtoaseriesofgraveandmoraldiscourses；whichtheItalianshaveliterally，butludicrouslytranslatedbyIlVagabondo；andwhichhasbeenlatelyassumedasthedenominationofavehicleoflicentioustales，TheRambler’sMagazine。HegaveSirJoshuaReynoldsthefollowingaccountofitsgettingthisname：’WhatMUST
　　bedone，Sir，WILLbedone。WhenIwastobeginpublishingthatpaper，Iwasatalosshowtonameit。Isatdownatnightuponmybedside，andresolvedthatIwouldnotgotosleeptillIhadfixeditstitle。TheRamblerseemedthebestthatoccurred，andItookit。’
　　Withwhatdevoutandconscientioussentimentsthispaperwasundertaken，isevidencedbythefollowingprayer，whichhecomposedandofferedupontheoccasion：’AlmightyGOD，thegiverofallgoodthings，withoutwhosehelpalllabourisineffectual，andwithoutwhosegraceallwisdomisfolly；grant，IbeseechThee，thatinthisundertakingthyHolySpiritmaynotbewith-heldfromme，butthatImaypromotethyglory，andthesalvationofmyselfandothers：grantthis，OLORD，forthesakeofthysonJESUS
　　CHRIST。Amen。’
　　ThefirstpaperofTheRamblerwaspublishedonTuesdaythe20thofMarch，1750；anditsauthourwasenabledtocontinueit，withoutinterruption，everyTuesdayandFriday，tillSaturdaythe17thofMarch，1752，onwhichdayitclosed。Thisisastrongconfirmationofthetruthofaremarkofhis，whichIhavehadoccasiontoquoteelsewhere，that’amanmaywriteatanytime，ifhewillsethimselfdoggedlytoit；’for，notwithstandinghisconstitutionalindolence，hisdepressionofspirits，andhislabourincarryingonhisDictionary，heansweredthestatedcallsofthepresstwiceaweekfromthestoresofhismind，duringallthattime。
　　Posteritywillbeastonishedwhentheyaretold，upontheauthorityofJohnsonhimself，thatmanyofthesediscourses，whichweshouldsupposehadbeenlabouredwithalltheslowattentionofliteraryleisure，werewritteninhasteasthemomentpressed，withoutevenbeingreadoverbyhimbeforetheywereprinted。Itcanbeaccountedforonlyinthisway；thatbyreadingandmeditation，andaverycloseinspectionoflife，hehadaccumulatedagreatfundofmiscellaneousknowledge，which，byapeculiarpromptitudeofmind，waseverreadyathiscall，andwhichhehadconstantlyaccustomedhimselftoclotheinthemostaptandenergetickexpression。SirJoshuaReynoldsonceaskedhimbywhatmeanshehadattainedhisextraordinaryaccuracyandflowoflanguage。Hetoldhim，thathehadearlylaiditdownasafixedruletodohisbestoneveryoccasion，andineverycompany；toimpartwhateverheknewinthemostforciblelanguagehecouldputitin；andthatbyconstantpractice，andneversufferinganycarelessexpressionstoescapehim，orattemptingtodeliverhisthoughtswithoutarrangingthemintheclearestmanner，itbecamehabitualtohim。
　　AsTheRamblerwasentirelytheworkofoneman，therewas，ofcourse，suchauniformityinitstexture，asverymuchtoexcludethecharmofvariety；andthegraveandoftensolemncastofthinking，whichdistinguisheditfromotherperiodicalpapers，madeit，forsometime，notgenerallyliked。Soslowlydidthisexcellentwork，ofwhichtwelveeditionshavenowissuedfromthepress，gainupontheworldatlarge，thatevenintheclosingnumbertheauthoursays，’Ihaveneverbeenmuchafavouriteofthepublick。’
　　Johnsontoldme，withanamiablefondness，alittlepleasingcircumstancerelativetothiswork。Mrs。Johnson，inwhosejudgementandtastehehadgreatconfidence，saidtohim，afterafewnumbersofTheRamblerhadcomeout，’Ithoughtverywellofyoubefore；butIdidnotimagineyoucouldhavewrittenanythingequaltothis。’Distantpraise，fromwhateverquarter，isnotsodelightfulasthatofawifewhomamanlovesandesteems。Herapprobationmaybesaidto’comehometohisbosom；’andbeingsonear，itseffectismostsensibleandpermanent。
　　Mr。JamesElphinston，whohassincepublishedvariousworks，andwhowaseveresteemedbyJohnsonasaworthyman，happenedtobeinScotlandwhileTheRamblerwascomingoutinsinglepapersatLondon。Withalaudablezealatoncefortheimprovementofhiscountrymen，andthereputationofhisfriend，hesuggestedandtookthechargeofaneditionofthoseEssaysatEdinburgh，whichfollowedprogressivelytheLondonpublication。
　　Thisyearhewrotetothesamegentlemanuponamournfuloccasion。
　　’ToMR。JAMESELPHINSTON。
　　September25，1750。
　　’DEARSIR，Youhave，asIfindbyeverykindofevidence，lostanexcellentmother；andIhopeyouwillnotthinkmeincapableofpartakingofyourgrief。Ihaveamother，noweighty-twoyearsofage，whom，therefore，Imustsoonlose，unlessitpleaseGODthatsherathershouldmournforme。Ireadthelettersinwhichyourelateyourmother’sdeathtoMrs。Strahan，andthinkIdomyselfhonour，whenItellyouthatIreadthemwithtears；buttearsareneithertoYOUnortoMEofanyfurtheruse，whenoncethetributeofnaturehasbeenpaid。Thebusinessoflifesummonsusawayfromuselessgrief，andcallsustotheexerciseofthosevirtuesofwhichwearelamentingourdeprivation。Thegreatestbenefitwhichonefriendcanconferuponanother，istoguard，andexcite，andelevatehisvirtues。Thisyourmotherwillstillperform，ifyoudiligentlypreservethememoryofherlife，andofherdeath：alife，sofarasIcanlearn，useful，wise，andinnocent；andadeathresigned，peaceful，andholy。Icannotforbeartomention，thatneitherreasonnorrevelationdeniesyoutohope，thatyoumayincreaseherhappinessbyobeyingherprecepts；andthatshemay，inherpresentstate，lookwithpleasureuponeveryactofvirtuetowhichherinstructionsorexamplehavecontributed。Whetherthisbemorethanapleasingdream，orajustopinionofseparatespirits，is，indeed，ofnogreatimportancetous，whenweconsiderourselvesasactingundertheeyeofGOD：yet，surely，thereissomethingpleasinginthebelief，thatourseparationfromthosewhomweloveismerelycorporeal；anditmaybeagreatincitementtovirtuousfriendship，ifitcanbemadeprobable，thatthatunionthathasreceivedthedivineapprobationshallcontinuetoeternity。