AETAT。68。]——In1777，itappearsfromhisPrayersandMeditations，thatJohnsonsufferedmuchfromastateofmind’unsettledandperplexed，’andfromthatconstitutionalgloom，which，togetherwithhisextremehumilityandanxietywithregardtohisreligiousstate，madehimcontemplatehimselfthroughtoodarkandunfavourableamedium。Itmaybesaidofhim，thathe’sawGODinclouds。’Certainwemaybeofhisinjusticetohimselfinthefollowinglamentableparagraph，whichitispainfultothinkcamefromthecontriteheartofthisgreatman，towhoselabourstheworldissomuchindebted：’WhenIsurveymypastlife，I
　　discovernothingbutabarrenwasteoftimewithsomedisordersofbody，anddisturbancesofthemind，veryneartomadness，whichI
　　hopeHethatmademewillsuffertoextenuatemanyfaults，andexcusemanydeficiencies。’Butwefindhisdevotionsinthisyeareminentlyfervent；andwearecomfortedbyobservingintervalsofquiet，composure，andgladness。
　　OnEaster-daywefindthefollowingemphatickprayer：
　　’AlmightyandmostmercifulFather，whoseestallourmiseries，andknowestallournecessities，lookdownuponme，andpityme。
　　Defendmefromtheviolentincursion[incursions]ofevilthoughts，andenablemetoformandkeepsuchresolutionsasmayconducetothedischargeofthedutieswhichthyprovidenceshallappointme；
　　andsohelpme，bythyHolySpirit，thatmyheartmaysurelytherebefixed，wheretruejoysaretobefound，andthatImayservetheewithpureaffectionandacheerfulmind。Havemercyuponme，OGOD，havemercyuponme；yearsandinfirmitiesoppressme，terrourandanxietybesetme。Havemercyuponme，myCreatorandmyJudge。[Inalldangersprotectme。]Inallperplexitiesrelieveandfreeme；andsohelpmebythyHolySpirit，thatImaynowsocommemoratethedeathofthySonourSaviourJESUSCHRIST，asthatwhenthisshortandpainfullifeshallhaveanend，Imay，forhissake，bereceivedtoeverlastinghappiness。Amen。’
　　’SIRALEXANDERDICKTODR。SAMUELJOHNSON。
　　’Prestonfield，Feb。17，1777。
　　’SIR，IhadyesterdaythehonourofreceivingyourbookofyourJourneytotheWesternIslandsofScotland，whichyouwassogoodastosendme，bythehandsofourmutualfriend，Mr。Boswell，ofAuchinleck；forwhichIreturnyoumymostheartythanks；andaftercarefullyreadingitoveragain，shalldepositinmylittlecollectionofchoicebooks，nextourworthyfriend’sJourneytoCorsica。Astherearemanythingstoadmireinbothperformances，IhaveoftenwishedthatnoTravelsorJourneysshouldbepublishedbutthoseundertakenbypersonsofintegrityandcapacitytojudgewell，anddescribefaithfully，andingoodlanguage，thesituation，condition，andmannersofthecountriespastthrough。IndeedourcountryofScotland，inspiteoftheunionofthecrowns，isstillinmostplacessodevoidofclothing，orcoverfromhedgesandplantations，thatitwaswellyougaveyourreadersasoundMonitoirewithrespecttothatcircumstance。Thetruthsyouhavetold，andthepurityofthelanguageinwhichtheyareexpressed，asyourJourneyisuniversallyread，may，andalreadyappeartohaveaverygoodeffect。Foramanofmyacquaintance，whohasthelargestnurseryfortreesandhedgesinthiscountry，tellsme，thatoflatethedemanduponhimforthesearticlesisdoubled，andsometimestripled。Ihave，therefore，listedDr。SamuelJohnsoninsomeofmymemorandumsoftheprincipalplantersandfavourersoftheenclosures，underanamewhichItookthelibertytoinventfromtheGreek，Papadendrion。LordAuchinleckandsomefewmoreareofthelist。IamtoldthatonegentlemanintheshireofAberdeen，viz。SirArchibaldGrant，hasplantedabovefiftymillionsoftreesonapieceofverywildgroundatMonimusk：I
　　mustenquireifhehasfencedthemwell，beforeheentersmylist；
　　for，thatisthesoulofenclosing。Ibeganmyselftoplantalittle，ourgroundbeingtoovaluableformuch，andthatisnowfiftyyearsago；andthetrees，nowinmyseventy-fourthyear，I
　　lookuptowithreverence，andshewthemtomyeldestsonnowinhisfifteenthyear，andtheyarefulltheheightofmycountry-
　　househere，whereIhadthepleasureofreceivingyou，andhopeagaintohavethatsatisfactionwithourmutualfriend，Mr。
　　Boswell。Ishallalwayscontinue，withthetruestesteem，dearDoctor，yourmuchobliged，andobedienthumbleservant，’ALEXANDERDICK。’
　　’ToJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
　　’DEARSIR，——ItissolongsinceIheardanythingfromyou，thatI
　　amnoteasyaboutit；writesomethingtomenextpost。Whenyousentyourlastletter，everythingseemedtobemending；Ihopenothinghaslatelygrownworse。IsupposeyoungAlexandercontinuestothrive，andVeronicaisnowveryprettycompany。Idonotsupposetheladyisyetreconciledtome，yetletherknowthatIloveherverywell，andvalueherverymuch……
　　’PoorBeauclerkstillcontinuesveryill。Langtonlivesonasheusedtodo。Hischildrenareverypretty，and，Ithink，hisladylosesherScotch。PaoliIneversee。
　　’Ihavebeensodistressedbydifficultyofbreathing，thatIlost，aswascomputed，six-and-thirtyouncesofbloodinafewdays。I
　　ambetter，butnotwell……
　　’Mrs。Williamssendshercompliments，andpromisesthatwhenyoucomehither，shewillaccommodateyouaswellasevershecanintheoldroom。ShewishestoknowwhetheryousentherbooktoSirAlexanderGordon。
　　’MydearBoswell，donotneglecttowritetome；foryourkindnessisoneofthepleasuresofmylife，whichIshouldbesorrytolose。Iam，Sir，yourhumbleservant，’February18，1777。’
　　’SAM。JOHNSON。’
　　’ToDR。SAMUELJOHNSON。
　　’Glasgow，April24，1777。
　　’MYDEARSIR，……Mywifehasmademarmaladeoforangesforyou。
　　IleftherandmydaughtersandAlexanderallwellyesterday。I
　　havetaughtVeronicatospeakofyouthus；——Dr。JohnSON，notJohnSTON。Iremain，mydearSir，yourmostaffectionate，andobligedhumbleservant，’JAMESBOSWELL。’
　　’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
　　’DEARSIR，……TellMrs。BoswellthatIshalltastehermarmaladecautiouslyatfirst。TimeoDanaosetdonaferentes。
　　Beware，saystheItalianproverb，ofareconciledenemy。ButwhenIfinditdoesmenoharm，Ishallthenreceiveitandbethankfulforit，asapledgeoffirm，and，Ihope，ofunalterablekindness。
　　Sheis，afterall，adear，dearlady……
　　’Iam，dearSir，yourmostaffectionatehumbleservant，’May3，1777。’
　　’SAM。JOHNSON。’
　　’TOJAMESBOSWELL，ESQ。
　　’Southill，Sept。26，1777。
　　’DEARSIR，Youwillfindbythisletter，thatIamstillinthesamecalmretreat，fromthenoiseandbustleofLondon，aswhenI
　　wrotetoyoulast。IamhappytofindyouhadsuchanagreeablemeetingwithyouroldfriendDr。Johnson；Ihavenodoubtyourstockismuchincreasedbytheinterview；fewmen，nayImaysay，scarcelyanyman，hasgotthatfundofknowledgeandentertainmentasDr。Johnsoninconversation。Whenheopensfreely，everyoneisattentivetowhathesays，andcannotfailofimprovementaswellaspleasure。
　　’TheeditionofThePoets，nowprinting，willdohonourtotheEnglishpress；andaconciseaccountofthelifeofeachauthour，byDr。Johnson，willbeaveryvaluableaddition，andstampthereputationofthiseditionsuperiourtoanythingthatisgonebefore。Thefirstcausethatgaverisetothisundertaking，I
　　believe，wasowingtothelittletriflingeditionofThePoets，printingbytheMartins，atEdinburgh，andtobesoldbyBell，inLondon。Uponexaminingthevolumeswhichwereprinted，thetypewasfoundsoextremelysmall，thatmanypersonscouldnotreadthem；notonlythisinconvenienceattendedit，buttheinaccuracyofthepresswasveryconspicuous。Thesereasons，aswellastheideaofaninvasionofwhatwecallourLiteraryProperty，inducedtheLondonBooksellerstoprintanelegantandaccurateeditionofalltheEnglishPoetsofreputation，fromChaucertothepresenttime。
　　’Accordinglyaselectnumberofthemostrespectablebooksellersmetontheoccasion；and，onconsultingtogether，agreed，thatalltheproprietorsofcopy-rightinthevariousPoetsshouldbesummonedtogether；andwhentheiropinionsweregiven，toproceedimmediatelyonthebusiness。Accordinglyameetingwasheld，consistingofaboutfortyofthemostrespectablebooksellersofLondon，whenitwasagreedthatanelegantanduniformeditionofTheEnglishPoetsshouldbeimmediatelyprinted，withaconciseaccountofthelifeofeachauthour，byDr。SamuelJohnson；andthatthreepersonsshouldbedeputedtowaituponDr。Johnson，tosolicithimtoundertaketheLives，viz。，T。Davies，Strahan，andCadell。TheDoctorverypolitelyundertookit，andseemedexceedinglypleasedwiththeproposal。Astotheterms，itwasleftentirelytotheDoctortonamehisown：hementionedtwohundredguineas：*itwasimmediatelyagreedto；andafarthercompliment，Ibelieve，willbemadehim。Acommitteewaslikewiseappointedtoengagethebestengravers，viz。，Bartolozzi，Sherwin，Hall，etc。Likewiseanothercommitteeforgivingdirectionsaboutthepaper，printing，etc。，sothatthewholewillbeconductedwithspirit，andinthebestmanner，withrespecttoauthourship，editorship，engravings，etc。，etc。MybrotherwillgiveyoualistofthePoetswemeantogive，manyofwhicharewithinthetimeoftheActofQueenAnne，whichMartinandBellcannotgive，astheyhavenopropertyinthem；theproprietorsarealmostallthebooksellersinLondon，ofconsequence。Iam，dearSir，everyour’s，’EDWARDDILLY。’
　　*Johnson’smoderationindemandingsosmallasumisextraordinary。Hadheaskedonethousand，orevenfifteenhundredguineas，thebooksellers，whoknewthevalueofhisname，woulddoubtlesshavereadilygivenit。Theyhaveprobablygotfivethousandguineasbythisworkinthecourseoftwenty-fiveyears