particularly, that when an officer of high rank had been acquitted by a Court Martial, George the Second had with his own hand, struck his name off the list. In short, he displayed such a power of eloquence, that Hogarth looked at him with astonishment, and actually imagined that this ideot had been at the moment inspired. Neither Hogarth nor Johnson were made known to each other at this interview[1].
1740[2]:ÆTAT. 31.]—In 1740 he wrote for the Gentleman's Magazine the 'Preface[3],'† 'Life of Sir Francis Drake,'* and the first parts of those of 'Admiral Blake[4],'* and of 'Philip Baretier[5],* both which he finished the following year. He
- ↑ It is strange that when Johnson had been sixteen years in London he should not be known to Hogarth by sight. 'Mr. Hogarth,' writes Mrs. Piozzi, 'was used to be very earnest that I should obtain the acquaintance, and if possible, the friendship of Dr. Johnson, "whose conversation was to the talk of other men, like Titian's painting compared to Hudson's," he said. . . . Of Dr. Johnson, when my father and he were talking together about him one day, "That man," says Hogarth, "is not contented with believing the Bible, but he fairly resolves, I think, to believe nothing but the Bible."' Piozzi's Anec. p. 136.
- ↑ On October 29 of this year James Boswell was born.
- ↑ In this preface is found the following lively passage:—'The Roman Gazetteers are defective in several material ornaments of style. They never end an article with the mystical hint, this occasions great speculation. They seem to have been ignorant of such engaging introductions as, we hear it is strongly reported; and of that ingenious, but thread-bare excuse for a downright lie, it wants confirmation.'
- ↑ The Lives of Blake and Drake were certainly written with a political aim. The war with Spain was going on. and the Tory party was doing its utmost to rouse the country against the Spaniards. It was 'a time.' according to Johnson. 'when the nation was engaged in a war with an enemy, whose insults, ravages, and barbarities have long called for vengeance.' Johnson's Works, vi. 293.
- ↑ Barretier's childhood surpassed even that of J. S. Mill. At the age of nine he was master of live languages, Greek and Hebrew being two of them. 'In his twelfth year he applied more particularly to
was refused, merely because the Judge, Willes, 'was attached to the Prince of Wales.' It is very likely that this was one of Johnson's 'instances,' as it had happened about four years earlier, and as an account of the young man had been published by an Oxonian. Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign of George II, i. 175.
