Insteadofmeltingdownmymaterialsintoonemass，andconstantlyspeakinginmyownperson，bywhichImighthaveappearedtohavemoremeritintheexecutionofthework，IhaveresolvedtoadoptandenlargeupontheexcellentplanofMr。Mason，inhisMemoirsofGray。Wherevernarrativeisnecessarytoexplain，connect，andsupply，Ifurnishittothebestofmyabilities；butinthechronologicalseriesofJohnson’slife，whichItraceasdistinctlyasIcan，yearbyyear，Iproduce，whereveritisinmypower，hisownminutes，lettersorconversation，beingconvincedthatthismodeismorelively，andwillmakemyreadersbetteracquaintedwithhim，thanevenmostofthosewerewhoactuallyknewhim，butcouldknowhimonlypartially；whereasthereishereanaccumulationofintelligencefromvariouspoints，bywhichhischaracterismorefullyunderstoodandillustrated。
　　IndeedIcannotconceiveamoreperfectmodeofwritinganyman’slife，thannotonlyrelatingallthemostimportanteventsofitintheirorder，butinterweavingwhatheprivatelywrote，andsaid，andthought；bywhichmankindareenabledasitweretoseehimlive，andto’liveo’ereachscene’withhim，asheactuallyadvancedthroughtheseveralstagesofhislife。HadhisotherfriendsbeenasdiligentandardentasIwas，hemighthavebeenalmostentirelypreserved。Asitis，Iwillventuretosaythathewillbeseeninthisworkmorecompletelythananymanwhohaseveryetlived。
　　Andhewillbeseenashereallywas；forIprofesstowrite，nothispanegyrick，whichmustbeallpraise，buthisLife；which，greatandgoodashewas，mustnotbesupposedtobeentirelyperfect。Tobeashewas，isindeedsubjectofpanegyrickenoughtoanymaninthisstateofbeing；butineverypicturethereshouldbeshadeaswellaslight，andwhenIdelineatehimwithoutreserve，Idowhathehimselfrecommended，bothbyhispreceptandhisexample。
　　IamfullyawareoftheobjectionswhichmaybemadetotheminutenessonsomeoccasionsofmydetailofJohnson’sconversation，andhowhappilyitisadaptedforthepettyexerciseofridicule，bymenofsuperficialunderstandingandludicrousfancy；butIremainfirmandconfidentinmyopinion，thatminuteparticularsarefrequentlycharacteristick，andalwaysamusing，whentheyrelatetoadistinguishedman。Iamthereforeexceedinglyunwillingthatanything，howeverslight，whichmyillustriousfriendthoughtitworthhiswhiletoexpress，withanydegreeofpoint，shouldperish。
　　OfonethingIamcertain，thatconsideringhowhighlythesmallportionwhichwehaveofthetable-talkandotheranecdotesofourcelebratedwritersisvalued，andhowearnestlyitisregrettedthatwehavenotmore，IamjustifiedinpreservingrathertoomanyofJohnson’ssayings，thantoofew；especiallyasfromthediversityofdispositionsitcannotbeknownwithcertaintybeforehand，whetherwhatmayseemtriflingtosome，andperhapstothecollectorhimself，maynotbemostagreeabletomany；andthegreaternumberthatanauthourcanpleaseinanydegree，themorepleasuredoestherearisetoabenevolentmind。
　　SamuelJohnsonwasbornatLichfield，inStaffordshire，onthe18thofSeptember，N。S。，1709；andhisinitiationintotheChristianChurchwasnotdelayed；forhisbaptismisrecorded，intheregisterofSt。Mary’sparishinthatcity，tohavebeenperformedonthedayofhisbirth。HisfatheristherestiledGentleman，acircumstanceofwhichanignorantpanegyristhaspraisedhimfornotbeingproud；whenthetruthis，thattheappellationofGentleman，thoughnowlostintheindiscriminateassumptionofEsquire，wascommonlytakenbythosewhocouldnotboastofgentility。HisfatherwasMichaelJohnson，anativeofDerbyshire，ofobscureextraction，whosettledinLichfieldasabooksellerandstationer。HismotherwasSarahFord，descendedofanancientraceofsubstantialyeomanryinWarwickshire。Theywerewelladvancedinyearswhentheymarried，andneverhadmorethantwochildren，bothsons；Samuel，theirfirstborn，wholivedtobetheillustriouscharacterwhosevariousexcellenceIamtoendeavourtorecord，andNathanael，whodiedinhistwenty-fifthyear。
　　Mr。MichaelJohnsonwasamanofalargeandrobustbody，andofastrongandactivemind；yet，asinthemostsolidrocksveinsofunsoundsubstanceareoftendiscovered，therewasinhimamixtureofthatdisease，thenatureofwhicheludesthemostminuteenquiry，thoughtheeffectsarewellknowntobeawearinessoflife，anunconcernaboutthosethingswhichagitatethegreaterpartofmankind，andageneralsensationofgloomywretchedness。
　　Fromhimthenhissoninherited，withsomeotherqualities，’avilemelancholy，’whichinhistoostrongexpressionofanydisturbanceofthemind，’madehimmadallhislife，atleastnotsober。’
　　Michaelwas，however，forcedbythenarrownessofhiscircumstancestobeverydiligentinbusiness，notonlyinhisshop，butbyoccasionallyresortingtoseveraltownsintheneighbourhood，someofwhichwereataconsiderabledistancefromLichfield。Atthattimebooksellers’shopsintheprovincialtownsofEnglandwereveryrare，sothattherewasnotoneeveninBirmingham，inwhichtownoldMr。Johnsonusedtoopenashopeverymarket-day。HewasaprettygoodLatinscholar，andacitizensocreditableastobemadeoneofthemagistratesofLichfield；and，beingamanofgoodsense，andskillinhistrade，heacquiredareasonableshareofwealth，ofwhichhoweverheafterwardslostthegreatestpart，byengagingunsuccessfullyinamanufactureofparchment。Hewasazealoushigh-churchmanandroyalist，andretainedhisattachmenttotheunfortunatehouseofStuart，thoughhereconciledhimself，bycasuisticalargumentsofexpediencyandnecessity，totaketheoathsimposedbytheprevailingpower。
　　Johnson’smotherwasawomanofdistinguishedunderstanding。I
　　askedhisoldschool-fellow，Mr。Hector，surgeonofBirmingham，ifshewasnotvainofherson。Hesaid，’shehadtoomuchgoodsensetobevain，butsheknewherson’svalue。’Herpietywasnotinferiourtoherunderstanding；andtohermustbeascribedthoseearlyimpressionsofreligionuponthemindofherson，fromwhichtheworldafterwardsderivedsomuchbenefit。Hetoldme，thatheremembereddistinctlyhavinghadthefirstnoticeofHeaven，’aplacetowhichgoodpeoplewent，’andhell，’aplacetowhichbadpeoplewent，’communicatedtohimbyher，whenalittlechildinbedwithher；andthatitmightbethebetterfixedinhismemory，shesenthimtorepeatittoThomasJackson，theirman-servant；henotbeingintheway，thiswasnotdone；buttherewasnooccasionforanyartificialaidforitspreservation。
　　ThereisatraditionalstoryoftheinfantHerculesoftoryism，socuriouslycharacteristick，thatIshallnotwithholdit。ItwascommunicatedtomeinaletterfromMissMaryAdye，ofLichfield：
　　’WhenDr。SacheverelwasatLichfield，Johnsonwasnotquitethreeyearsold。MygrandfatherHammondobservedhimatthecathedralpercheduponhisfather’sshoulders，listeningandgapingatthemuchcelebratedpreacher。Mr。HammondaskedMr。Johnsonhowhecouldpossiblythinkofbringingsuchaninfanttochurch，andinthemidstofsogreatacrowd。Heanswered，becauseitwasimpossibletokeephimathome；for，youngashewas，hebelievedhehadcaughtthepublickspiritandzealforSacheverel，andwouldhavestaidforeverinthechurch，satisfiedwithbeholdinghim。’
　　NorcanIomitalittleinstanceofthatjealousindependenceofspirit，andimpetuosityoftemper，whichneverforsookhim。Thefactwasacknowledgedtomebyhimself，upontheauthorityofhismother。Oneday，whentheservantwhousedtobesenttoschooltoconducthimhome，hadnotcomeintime，hesetoutbyhimself，thoughhewasthensonear-sighted，thathewasobligedtostoopdownonhishandsandkneestotakeaviewofthekennelbeforeheventuredtostepoverit。Hisschool-mistress，afraidthathemightmisshisway，orfallintothekennel，orberunoverbyacart，followedhimatsomedistance。Hehappenedtoturnaboutandperceiveher。Feelinghercarefulattentionasaninsulttohismanliness，heranbacktoherinarage，andbeather，aswellashisstrengthwouldpermit。
　　Ofthepowerofhismemory，forwhichhewasallhislifeeminenttoadegreealmostincredible，thefollowingearlyinstancewastoldmeinhispresenceatLichfield，in1776，byhisstep-
　　daughter，Mrs。LucyPorter，asrelatedtoherbyhismother。Whenhewasachildinpetticoats，andhadlearnttoread，Mrs。Johnsononemorningputthecommonprayer-bookintohishands，pointedtothecollectfortheday，andsaid，’Sam，youmustgetthisbyheart。’Shewentupstairs，leavinghimtostudyit：Butbythetimeshehadreachedthesecondfloor，sheheardhimfollowingher。
　　’What’sthematter？’saidshe。’Icansayit，’hereplied；andrepeateditdistinctly，thoughhecouldnothavereaditmorethantwice。
　　Buttherehasbeenanotherstoryofhisinfantprecocitygenerallycirculated，andgenerallybelieved，thetruthofwhichIamtorefuteuponhisownauthority。Itistold，that，whenachildofthreeyearsold，hechancedtotreaduponaduckling，theeleventhofabrood，andkilledit；uponwhich，itissaid，hedictatedtohismotherthefollowingepitaph：
　　’Hereliesgoodmasterduck，WhomSamuelJohnsontrodon；
　　Ifithadliv’d，ithadbeenGOODLUCK，Forthenwe’dhadanODDONE。’
　　Thereissurelyinternalevidencethatthislittlecompositioncombinesinit，whatnochildofthreeyearsoldcouldproduce，withoutanextensionofitsfacultiesbyimmediateinspiration；yetMrs。LucyPorter，Dr。Johnson’sstepdaughter，positivelymaintainedtome，inhispresence，thattherecouldbenodoubtofthetruthofthisanecdote，forshehadhearditfromhismother。Sodifficultisittoobtainanauthentickrelationoffacts，andsuchauthoritymaytherebeforerrour；forheassuredme，thathisfathermadetheverses，andwishedtopassthemforhischild’s。
　　Headded，’myfatherwasafoolisholdman；thatistosay，foolishintalkingofhischildren。’
　　YoungJohnsonhadthemisfortunetobemuchafflictedwiththescrophula，orking’sevil，whichdisfiguredacountenancenaturallywellformed，andhurthisvisualnervessomuch，thathedidnotseeatallwithoneofhiseyes，thoughitsappearancewaslittledifferentfromthatoftheother。Thereisamongsthisprayers，oneinscribed’When，myEYEwasrestoredtoitsuse，’whichascertainsadefectthatmanyofhisfriendsknewhehad，thoughI
　　neverperceivedit。Isupposedhimtobeonlynear-sighted；andindeedImustobserve，thatinnootherrespectcouldIdiscernanydefectinhisvision；onthecontrary，theforceofhisattentionandperceptivequicknessmadehimseeanddistinguishallmannerofobjects，whetherofnatureorofart，withanicetythatisrarelytobefound。WhenheandIweretravellingintheHighlandsofScotland，andIpointedouttohimamountainwhichIobservedresembledacone，hecorrectedmyinaccuracy，byshewingme，thatitwasindeedpointedatthetop，butthatonesideofitwaslargerthantheother。Andtheladieswithwhomhewasacquaintedagree，thatnomanwasmorenicelyandminutelycriticalintheeleganceoffemaledress。WhenIfoundthathesawtheromantickbeautiesofIslam，inDerbyshire，muchbetterthanIdid，Itoldhimthatheresembledanableperformeruponabadinstrument。Ithasbeensaid，thathecontractedthisgrievousmaladyfromhisnurse。Hismotheryieldingtothesuperstitiousnotion，which，itiswonderfultothink，prevailedsolonginthiscountry，astothevirtueoftheregaltouch；anotion，whichourkingsencouraged，andtowhichamanofsuchinquiryandsuchjudgementasCartecouldgivecredit；carriedhimtoLondon，wherehewasactuallytouchedbyQueenAnne。Mrs。Johnsonindeed，asMr。Hectorinformedme，actedbytheadviceofthecelebratedSirJohnFloyer，thenaphysicianinLichfield。Johnsonusedtotalkofthisveryfrankly；