ItappearsthathewasnowenlistedbyMr。Caveasaregularcoadjutorinhismagazine，bywhichheprobablyobtainedatolerablelivelihood。Atwhattime，orbywhatmeans，hehadacquiredacompetentknowledgebothofFrenchandItalian，Idonotknow；buthewassowellskilledinthem，astobesufficientlyqualifiedforatranslator。Thatpartofhislabourwhichconsistedinemendationandimprovementoftheproductionsofothercontributors，likethatemployedinlevellingground，canbeperceivedonlybythosewhohadanopportunityofcomparingtheoriginalwiththealteredcopy。Whatwecertainlyknowtohavebeendonebyhiminthisway，wastheDebatesinbothhousesofParliament，underthenameof’TheSenateofLilliput，’sometimeswithfeigneddenominationsoftheseveralspeakers，sometimeswithdenominationsformedofthelettersoftheirrealnames，inthemannerofwhatiscalledanagram，sothattheymighteasilybedecyphered。Parliamentthenkeptthepressinakindofmysteriousawe，whichmadeitnecessarytohaverecoursetosuchdevices。Inourtimeithasacquiredanunrestrainedfreedom，sothatthepeopleinallpartsofthekingdomhaveafair，open，andexactreportoftheactualproceedingsoftheirrepresentativesandlegislators，whichinourconstitutionishighlytobevalued；
　　though，unquestionably，therehasoflatebeentoomuchreasontocomplainofthepetulancewithwhichobscurescribblershavepresumedtotreatmenofthemostrespectablecharacterandsituation。
　　ThisimportantarticleoftheGentlemen’sMagazinewas，forseveralyears，executedbyMr。WilliamGuthrie，amanwhodeservestoberespectablyrecordedintheliteraryannalsofthiscountry。ThedebatesinParliament，whichwerebroughthomeanddigestedbyGuthrie，whosememory，thoughsurpassedbyotherswhohavesincefollowedhiminthesamedepartment，wasyetveryquickandtenacious，weresentbyCavetoJohnsonforhisrevision；and，aftersometime，whenGuthriehadattainedtogreatervarietyofemployment，andthespeechesweremoreandmoreenrichedbytheaccessionofJohnson’sgenius，itwasresolvedthatheshoulddothewholehimself，fromthescantynotesfurnishedbypersonsemployedtoattendinbothhousesofParliament。Sometimes，however，ashehimselftoldme，hehadnothingmorecommunicatedtohimthanthenamesoftheseveralspeakers，andthepartwhichtheyhadtakeninthedebate。*
　　*JohnsonlatertoldBoswellthat’assoonashefoundthatthespeecheswerethoughtgenuinehedeterminedthathewouldwritenomoreofthem：for“hewouldnotbeaccessarytothepropagationoffalsehood。“Andsuchwasthetendernessofhisconscience，thatashorttimebeforehisdeathheexpressedhisregretforhishavingbeentheauthouroffictionswhichhadpassedforrealities。’——Ed。
　　Butwhatfirstdisplayedhistranscendentpowers，and’gavetheworldassuranceoftheMAN，’washisLondon，aPoem，inImitationoftheThirdSatireofJuvenal：whichcameoutinMaythisyear，andburstforthwithasplendour，theraysofwhichwillforeverencirclehisname。Boileauhadimitatedthesamesatirewithgreatsuccess，applyingittoParis；butanattentivecomparisonwillsatisfyeveryreader，thatheismuchexcelledbytheEnglishJuvenal。Oldhamhadalsoimitatedit，andappliedittoLondon；
　　allwhichperformancesconcurtoprove，thatgreatcities，ineveryage，andineverycountry，willfurnishsimilartopicksofsatire。
　　WhetherJohnsonhadpreviouslyreadOldham’simitation，Idonotknow；butitisnotalittleremarkable，thatthereisscarcelyanycoincidencefoundbetweenthetwoperformances，thoughupontheverysamesubject。
　　Johnson’sLondonwaspublishedinMay，1738；anditisremarkable，thatitcameoutonthesamemorningwithPope’ssatire，entitled’1738；’sothatEnglandhadatonceitsJuvenalandHoraceaspoeticalmonitors。TheReverendDr。Douglas，nowBishopofSalisbury，towhomIamindebtedforsomeobligingcommunications，wasthenastudentatOxford，andrememberswelltheeffectwhichLondonproduced。Everybodywasdelightedwithit；andtherebeingnonametoit，thefirstbuzoftheliterarycircleswas’hereisanunknownpoet，greatereventhanPope。’AnditisrecordedintheGentleman’sMagazineofthatyear，thatit’gottothesecondeditioninthecourseofaweek。’
　　OneofthewarmestpatronsofthispoemonitsfirstappearancewasGeneralOglethorpe，whose’strongbenevolenceofsoul，’wasunabatedduringthecourseofaverylonglife；thoughitispainfultothink，thathehadbuttoomuchreasontobecomecoldandcallous，anddiscontentedwiththeworld，fromtheneglectwhichheexperiencedofhispublickandprivateworth，bythoseinwhosepoweritwastogratifysogallantaveteranwithmarksofdistinction。Thisextraordinarypersonwasasremarkableforhislearningandtaste，asforhisothereminentqualities；andnomanwasmoreprompt，active，andgenerous，inencouragingmerit。I
　　haveheardJohnsongratefullyacknowledge，inhispresence，thekindandeffectualsupportwhichhegavetohisLondon，thoughunacquaintedwithitsauthour。
　　Pope，whothenfilledthepoeticalthronewithoutarival，itmayreasonablybepresumed，musthavebeenparticularlystruckbythesuddenappearanceofsuchapoet；and，tohiscredit，letitberemembered，thathisfeelingsandconductontheoccasionwerecandidandliberal。HerequestedMr。Richardson，sonofthepainter，toendeavourtofindoutwhothisnewauthourwas。Mr。
　　Richardson，aftersomeinquiry，havinginformedhimthathehaddiscoveredonlythathisnamewasJohnson，andthathewassomeobscureman，Popesaid；’hewillsoonbedeterre。’Weshallpresentlysee，fromanotewrittenbyPope，thathewashimselfafterwardsmoresuccessfulinhisinquiriesthanhisfriend。
　　Whileweadmirethepoeticalexcellenceofthispoem，candourobligesustoallow，thattheflameofpatriotismandzealforpopularresistancewithwhichitisfraught，hadnojustcause。
　　Therewas，intruth，no’oppression；’the’nation’wasNOT
　　’cheated。’SirRobertWalpolewasawiseandabenevolentminister，whothoughtthatthehappinessandprosperityofacommercialcountrylikeours，wouldbebestpromotedbypeace，whichheaccordinglymaintained，withcredit，duringaverylongperiod。JohnsonhimselfafterwardshonestlyacknowledgedthemeritofWalpole，whomhecalled’afixedstar；’whilehecharacterisedhisopponent，Pitt，as’ameteor。’ButJohnson’sjuvenilepoemwasnaturallyimpregnatedwiththefireofopposition，anduponeveryaccountwasuniversallyadmired。
　　Thoughthuselevatedintofame，andconsciousofuncommonpowers，hehadnotthatbustlingconfidence，or，Imayrathersay，thatanimatedambition，whichonemighthavesupposedwouldhaveurgedhimtoendeavouratrisinginlife。Butsuchwashisinflexibledignityofcharacter，thathecouldnotstooptocourtthegreat；
　　withoutwhich，hardlyanymanhasmadehiswaytoahighstation。
　　HecouldnotexpecttoproducemanysuchworksashisLondon，andhefeltthehardshipsofwritingforbread；hewas，therefore，willingtoresumetheofficeofaschoolmaster，soastohaveasure，thoughmoderateincomeforhislife；andanofferbeingmadetohimofthemastershipofaschool，providedhecouldobtainthedegreeofMasterofArts，Dr。Adamswasappliedto，byacommonfriend，toknowwhetherthatcouldbegrantedhimasafavourfromtheUniversityofOxford。Butthoughhehadmadesuchafigureintheliteraryworld，itwasthenthoughttoogreatafavourtobeasked。
　　Pope，withoutanyknowledgeofhimbutfromhisLondon，recommendedhimtoEarlGower，whoendeavouredtoprocureforhimadegreefromDublin。
　　Itwas，perhaps，nosmalldisappointmenttoJohnsonthatthisrespectableapplicationhadnotthedesiredeffect；yethowmuchreasonhastherebeen，bothforhimselfandhiscountry，torejoicethatitdidnotsucceed，ashemightprobablyhavewastedinobscuritythosehoursinwhichheafterwardsproducedhisincomparableworks。
　　Aboutthistimehemadeoneotherefforttoemancipatehimselffromthedrudgeryofauthourship。HeappliedtoDr。Adams，toconsultDr。SmalbrokeoftheCommons，whetherapersonmightbepermittedtopracticeasanadvocatethere，withoutadoctor’sdegreeinCivilLaw。’Iamsaidheatotalstrangertothesestudies；butwhateverisaprofession，andmaintainsnumbers，mustbewithinthereachofcommonabilities，andsomedegreeofindustry。’Dr。AdamswasmuchpleasedwithJohnson’sdesigntoemployhistalentsinthatmanner，beingconfidenthewouldhaveattainedtogreateminence。
　　AsMr。Pope’snoteconcerningJohnson，alludedtoinaformerpage，refersbothtohisLondon，andhisMarmorNorfolciense，Ihavedeferredinsertingittillnow。IamindebtedforittoDr。Percy，theBishopofDromore，whopermittedmetocopyitfromtheoriginalinhispossession。ItwaspresentedtohisLordshipbySirJoshuaReynolds，towhomitwasgivenbythesonofMr。
　　Richardsonthepainter，thepersontowhomitisaddressed。Ihavetranscribeditwithminuteexactness，thatthepeculiarmodeofwriting，andimperfectspellingofthatcelebratedpoet，maybeexhibitedtothecuriousinliterature。ItjustifiesSwift’sepithetof’Paper-sparingPope，’foritiswrittenonaslipnolargerthanacommonmessage-card，andwassenttoMr。Richardson，alongwiththeImitationofJuvenal。
　　’ThisisimitatedbyoneJohnsonwhoputinforaPublick-schoolinShropshire，butwasdisappointed。Hehasaninfirmityoftheconvulsivekind，thatattackshimsometimes，soastomakehimasadSpectacle。Mr。P。fromtheMeritofthisWorkwhichwasalltheknowledgehehadofhimendeavour’dtoservehimwithouthisownapplication；&wrotetomyLdgore，buthedidnotsucceed。
　　Mr。JohnsonpublishedafterwdsanotherPoeminLatinwithNotesthewholeveryHumerouscall’dtheNorfolkProphecy。P。’
　　Johnsonhadbeentoldofthisnote；andSirJoshuaReynoldsinformedhimofthecomplimentwhichitcontained，but，fromdelicacy，avoidedshewinghimthepaperitself。WhenSirJoshuaobservedtoJohnsonthatheseemedverydesiroustoseePope’snote，heanswered，’WhowouldnotbeproudtohavesuchamanasPopesosolicitousininquiringabouthim？’
　　TheinfirmitytowhichMr。Popealludes，appearedtomealso，asI
　　haveelsewhereobserved，tobeoftheconvulsivekind，andofthenatureofthatdistempercalledSt。Vitus’sdance；andinthisopinionIamconfirmedbythedescriptionwhichSydenhamgivesofthatdisease。’Thisdisorderisakindofconvulsion。Itmanifestsitselfbyhaltingorunsteadinessofoneofthelegs，whichthepatientdrawsafterhimlikeanideot。Ifthehandofthesamesidebeappliedtothebreast，oranyotherpartofthebody，hecannotkeepitamomentinthesameposture，butitwillbedrawnintoadifferentonebyaconvulsion，notwithstandingallhiseffortstothecontrary。’SirJoshuaReynolds，however，wasofadifferentopinion，andfavouredmewiththefollowingpaper。
　　’ThosemotionsortricksofDr。Johnsonareimproperlycalledconvulsions。Hecouldsitmotionless，whenhewastoldsotodo，aswellasanyotherman；myopinionisthatitproceededfromahabitwhichhehadindulgedhimselfin，ofaccompanyinghisthoughtswithcertainuntowardactions，andthoseactionsalwaysappearedtomeasiftheyweremeanttoreprobatesomepartofhispastconduct。Wheneverhewasnotengagedinconversation，suchthoughtsweresuretorushintohismind；and，forthisreason，anycompany，anyemploymentwhatever，hepreferredtobeingalone。Thegreatbusinessofhislifehesaidwastoescapefromhimself；