andMrs。Piozzihaspreservedhisverypicturesquedescriptionofthescene，asitremaineduponhisfancy。BeingaskedifhecouldrememberQueenAnne，’Hehadhesaidaconfused，butsomehowasortofsolemnrecollectionofaladyindiamonds，andalongblackhood。’Thistouch，however，waswithoutanyeffect。Iventuredtosaytohim，inallusiontothepoliticalprinciplesinwhichhewaseducated，andofwhichheeverretainedsomeodour，that’hismotherhadnotcarriedhimfarenough；sheshouldhavetakenhimtoROME。’
　　HewasfirsttaughttoreadEnglishbyDameOliver，awidow，whokeptaschoolforyoungchildreninLichfield。Hetoldmeshecouldreadtheblackletter，andaskedhimtoborrowforher，fromhisfather，abibleinthatcharacter。WhenhewasgoingtoOxford，shecametotakeleaveofhim，broughthim，inthesimplicityofherkindness，apresentofgingerbread，andsaid，hewasthebestscholarsheeverhad。Hedelightedinmentioningthisearlycompliment：adding，withasmile，that’thiswasashighaproofofhismeritashecouldconceive。’HisnextinstructorinEnglishwasamaster，whom，whenhespokeofhimtome，hefamiliarlycalledTomBrown，who，saidhe，’publishedaspelling-
　　book，anddedicatedittotheUNIVERSE；but，Ifear，nocopyofitcannowbehad。’
　　HebegantolearnLatinwithMr。Hawkins，usher，orunder-masterofLichfieldschool，’amansaidheveryskilfulinhislittleway。’
　　Withhimhecontinuedtwoyears，andthenrosetobeunderthecareofMr。Hunter，theheadmaster，who，accordingtohisaccount，’wasverysevere，andwrong-headedlysevere。Heusedsaidhetobeatusunmercifully；andhedidnotdistinguishbetweenignoranceandnegligence；forhewouldbeataboyequallyfornotknowingathing，asforneglectingtoknowit。Hewouldaskaboyaquestion；andifhedidnotanswerit，hewouldbeathim，withoutconsideringwhetherhehadanopportunityofknowinghowtoanswerit。Forinstance，hewouldcallupaboyandaskhimLatinforacandlestick，whichtheboycouldnotexpecttobeasked。Now，Sir，ifaboycouldanswereveryquestion，therewouldbenoneedofamastertoteachhim。’
　　Itis，however，butjusticetothememoryofMr。Huntertomention，thatthoughhemighterrinbeingtoosevere，theschoolofLichfieldwasveryrespectableinhistime。ThelateDr。Taylor，PrebendaryofWestminster，whowaseducatedunderhim，toldme，that’hewasanexcellentmaster，andthathisushersweremostofthemmenofeminence；thatHolbrook，oneofthemostingeniousmen，bestscholars，andbestpreachersofhisage，wasusherduringthegreatestpartofthetimethatJohnsonwasatschool。ThencameHague，ofwhomasmuchmightbesaid，withtheadditionthathewasanelegantpoet。HaguewassucceededbyGreen，afterwardsBishopofLincoln，whosecharacterinthelearnedworldiswellknown。’
　　IndeedJohnsonwasverysensiblehowmuchheowedtoMr。Hunter。
　　Mr。LangtononedayaskedhimhowhehadacquiredsoaccurateaknowledgeofLatin，inwhich，Ibelieve，hewasexceededbynomanofhistime；hesaid，’Mymasterwhiptmeverywell。Withoutthat，Sir，Ishouldhavedonenothing。’HetoldMr。Langton，thatwhileHunterwasflogginghisboysunmercifully，heusedtosay，’AndthisIdotosaveyoufromthegallows。’Johnson，uponalloccasions，expressedhisapprobationofenforcinginstructionbymeansoftherod。’Iwouldrathersaidhehavetherodtobethegeneralterrourtoall，tomakethemlearn，thantellachild，ifyoudothus，orthus，youwillbemoreesteemedthanyourbrothersorsisters。Therodproducesaneffectwhichterminatesinitself。
　　Achildisafraidofbeingwhipped，andgetshistask，andthere’sanendon’t；whereas，byexcitingemulationandcomparisonsofsuperiority，youlaythefoundationoflastingmischief；youmakebrothersandsistershateeachother。’
　　Thatsuperiorityoverhisfellows，whichhemaintainedwithsomuchdignityinhismarchthroughlife，wasnotassumedfromvanityandostentation，butwasthenaturalandconstanteffectofthoseextraordinarypowersofmind，ofwhichhecouldnotbutbeconsciousbycomparison；theintellectualdifference，whichinothercasesofcomparisonofcharacters，isoftenamatterofundecidedcontest，beingasclearinhiscaseasthesuperiorityofstatureinsomemenaboveothers。Johnsondidnotstrutorstandontiptoe；Heonlydidnotstoop。Fromhisearliestyearshissuperioritywasperceivedandacknowledged。Hewasfromthebeginning[Greektextomitted]，akingofmen。Hisschool-fellow，Mr。Hector，hasobliginglyfurnishedmewithmanyparticularsofhisboyishdays：andassuredmethatheneverknewhimcorrectedatschool，butfortalkinganddivertingotherboysfromtheirbusiness。Heseemedtolearnbyintuition；forthoughindolenceandprocrastinationwereinherentinhisconstitution，wheneverhemadeanexertionhedidmorethananyoneelse。Hisfavouritesusedtoreceiveveryliberalassistancefromhim；andsuchwasthesubmissionanddeferencewithwhichhewastreated，suchthedesiretoobtainhisregard，thatthreeoftheboys，ofwhomMr。Hectorwassometimesone，usedtocomeinthemorningashishumbleattendants，andcarryhimtoschool。Oneinthemiddlestooped，whilehesatuponhisback，andoneoneachsidesupportedhim；andthushewasbornetriumphant。Suchaproofoftheearlypredominanceofintellectualvigourisveryremarkable，anddoeshonourtohumannature。Talkingtomeoncehimselfofhisbeingmuchdistinguishedatschool，hetoldme，’theyneverthoughttoraisemebycomparingmetoanyone；theyneversaid，Johnsonisasgoodascholarassuchaone；butsuchaoneisasgoodascholarasJohnson；andthiswassaidbutofone，butofLowe；andIdonotthinkhewasasgoodascholar。’
　　Hediscoveredagreatambitiontoexcel，whichrousedhimtocounteracthisindolence。Hewasuncommonlyinquisitive；andhismemorywassotenacious，thatheneverforgotanythingthatheeitherheardorread。Mr。Hectorremembershavingrecitedtohimeighteenverses，which，afteralittlepause，herepeatedverbatim，varyingonlyoneepithet，bywhichheimprovedtheline。
　　Heneverjoinedwiththeotherboysintheirordinarydiversions：
　　hisonlyamusementwasinwinter，whenhetookapleasureinbeingdrawnupontheicebyaboybarefooted，whopulledhimalongbyagarterfixedroundhim；noveryeasyoperation，ashissizewasremarkablylarge。Hisdefectivesight，indeed，preventedhimfromenjoyingthecommonsports；andheoncepleasantlyremarkedtome，’howwonderfullywellhehadcontrivedtobeidlewithoutthem。’
　　Mr。Hectorrelates，that’hecouldnotobligehimmorethanbysaunteringawaythehoursofvacationinthefields，duringwhichhewasmoreengagedintalkingtohimselfthantohiscompanion。’
　　Dr。Percy，theBishopofDromore，whowaslongintimatelyacquaintedwithhim，andhaspreservedafewanecdotesconcerninghim，regrettingthathewasnotamorediligentcollector，informsme，that’whenaboyhewasimmoderatelyfondofreadingromancesofchivalry，andheretainedhisfondnessforthemthroughlife；sothataddshisLordshipspendingpartofasummeratmyparsonagehouseinthecountry，hechoseforhisregularreadingtheoldSpanishromanceofFelixmarteofHircania，infolio，whichhereadquitethrough。YetIhaveheardhimattributetotheseextravagantfictionsthatunsettledturnofmindwhichpreventedhiseverfixinginanyprofession。’
　　1725：AETAT。16——Afterhavingresidedforsometimeatthehouseofhisuncle，CorneliusFord，Johnsonwas，attheageoffifteen，removedtotheschoolofStourbridge，inWorcestershire，ofwhichMr。Wentworthwasthenmaster。Thisstepwastakenbytheadviceofhiscousin，theReverendMr。Ford，amaninwhombothtalentsandgooddispositionsweredisgracedbylicentiousness，butwhowasaveryablejudgeofwhatwasright。Atthisschoolhedidnotreceivesomuchbenefitaswasexpected。Ithasbeensaid，thatheactedinthecapacityofanassistanttoMr。Wentworth，inteachingtheyoungerboys。’Mr。Wentworthhetoldmewasaveryableman，butanidleman，andtomeverysevere；butIcannotblamehimmuch。Iwasthenabigboy；hesawIdidnotreverencehim；andthatheshouldgetnohonourbyme。Ihadbroughtenoughwithme，tocarrymethrough；andallIshouldgetathisschoolwouldbeascribedtomyownlabour，ortomyformermaster。Yethetaughtmeagreatdeal。’
　　Hethusdiscriminated，toDr。Percy，BishopofDromore，hisprogressathistwogrammar-schools。’Atone，Ilearntmuchintheschool，butlittlefromthemaster；intheother，Ilearntmuchfromthemaster，butlittleintheschool。’
　　HeremainedatStourbridgelittlemorethanayear，andthenreturnedhome，wherehemaybesaidtohaveloitered，fortwoyears，inastateveryunworthyhisuncommonabilities。Hehadalreadygivenseveralproofsofhispoeticalgenius，bothinhisschool-exercisesandinotheroccasionalcompositions。
　　Hehadnosettledplanoflife，norlookedforwardatall，butmerelylivedfromdaytoday。Yethereadagreatdealinadesultorymanner，withoutanyschemeofstudy，aschancethrewbooksinhisway，andinclinationdirectedhimthroughthem。Heusedtomentiononecuriousinstanceofhiscasualreading，whenbutaboy。Havingimaginedthathisbrotherhadhidsomeapplesbehindalargefoliouponanuppershelfinhisfather’sshop，heclimbeduptosearchforthem。Therewerenoapples；butthelargefolioprovedtobePetrarch，whomhehadseenmentionedinsomepreface，asoneoftherestorersoflearning。Hiscuriosityhavingbeenthusexcited，hesatdownwithavidity，andreadagreatpartofthebook。Whathereadduringthesetwoyearshetoldme，wasnotworksofmereamusement，’notvoyagesandtravels，butallliterature，Sir，allancientwriters，allmanly：thoughbutlittleGreek，onlysomeofAnacreonandHesiod；butinthisirregularmanneraddedheIhadlookedintoagreatmanybooks，whichwerenotcommonlyknownattheUniversities，wheretheyseldomreadanybooksbutwhatareputintotheirhandsbytheirtutors；sothatwhenIcametoOxford，Dr。Adams，nowmasterofPembrokeCollege，toldmeIwasthebestqualifiedfortheUniversitythathehadeverknowncomethere。’
　　ThatamaninMr。MichaelJohnson’scircumstancesshouldthinkofsendinghissontotheexpensiveUniversityofOxford，athisowncharge，seemsveryimprobable。ThesubjectwastoodelicatetoquestionJohnsonupon。ButIhavebeenassuredbyDr。TaylorthattheschemeneverwouldhavetakenplacehadnotagentlemanofShropshire，oneofhisschoolfellows，spontaneouslyundertakentosupporthimatOxford，inthecharacterofhiscompanion；though，infact，heneverreceivedanyassistancewhateverfromthatgentleman。
　　He，however，wenttoOxford，andwasenteredaCommonerofPembrokeCollegeonthe31stofOctober，1728，beingtheninhisnineteenthyear。
　　TheReverendDr。Adams，whoafterwardspresidedoverPembrokeCollegewithuniversalesteem，toldmehewaspresent，andgavemesomeaccountofwhatpassedonthenightofJohnson’sarrivalatOxford。Onthatevening，hisfather，whohadanxiouslyaccompaniedhim，foundmeanstohavehimintroducedtoMr。Jorden，whowastobehistutor。
　　Hisfatherseemedveryfullofthemeritsofhisson，andtoldthecompanyhewasagoodscholar，andapoet，andwroteLatinverses。
　　Hisfigureandmannerappearedstrangetothem；buthebehavedmodestly，andsatsilent，tilluponsomethingwhichoccurredinthecourseofconversation，hesuddenlystruckinandquotedMacrobius；
　　andthushegavethefirstimpressionofthatmoreextensivereadinginwhichhehadindulgedhimself。
　　Histutor，Mr。Jorden，fellowofPembroke，wasnot，itseems，amanofsuchabilitiesasweshouldconceiverequisitefortheinstructorofSamuelJohnson，whogavemethefollowingaccountofhim。’Hewasaveryworthyman，butaheavyman，andIdidnotprofitmuchbyhisinstructions。Indeed，Ididnotattendhimmuch。ThefirstdayafterIcametocollegeIwaiteduponhim，andthenstaidawayfour。Onthesixth，Mr。JordenaskedmewhyIhadnotattended。IansweredIhadbeenslidinginChrist-Churchmeadow。AndthisIsaidwithasmuchnonchalanceasIamnowtalkingtoyou。IhadnonotionthatIwaswrongorirreverenttomytutor。BOSWELL：’That，Sir，wasgreatfortitudeofmind。’