in Gray's- Inn, may be said to have carried a porter's knot. He paused occasionally, to peruse the book that came to his hand. Osborne thought that such curiosity tended to nothing but delay, and objected to it with all the pride and insolence of a man, who knew that he paid daily wages. In the dispute that of course ensued, Osborne, with that roughness which was natural to him, enforced his argument by giving the lie. Johnson seized a folio, and knocked the bookseller down 1 . This story has been related as an instance of Johnson's ferocity ; but merit cannot always take the spurns of the unworthy with a patient spirit.
That the history of an author must be found in his works is, in general, a true observation 2 ; and was never more apparent than in the present narrative. Every sera of Johnson's life is fixed by his writings. In 1744, he published the Life of Savage ; and then projected a new edition of Shakspeare. As a prelude to this design, he published, in 1745, Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth, with Remarks on Sir Thomas Hanmers Edition ; to which were prefixed, Pro posals for a new Edition of Shakspeare, with a Specimen. Of this pamphlet Warburton, in the Preface to Shakspeare, has given his opinion: 'As to all those things, which have been published under the title of Essays, Remarks, Observations, &c. on Shakspeare, if you except some critical notes on Macbeth^ given as a specimen of a projected edition, and written, as appears, by a man of parts and genius, the rest are absolutely below a serious notice 3 .' But the attention of
1 Murphy gets the story from (1745) when, as Macaulay says, to Hawkins, who places the scene in be praised by Warburton was no Osborne's shop. ' The simple truth,' light thing. And he did not know says Boswell, 'I had from Johnson the contemptuous and brutal language himself. " Sir, he was impertinent to in which Warburton had written of me, and I beat him. But it was not in him to Kurd only two years after his shop ; it was in my own chamber.' the " praise." " Of this Johnson you Life,\. 154. See also ante, p. 304. and I, I believe, think much alike.
2 Life, iv. 98. His remarks have in them as much
3 ' Johnson always remembered folly as malignity." ' Pattison's Es- with gratitude that he had been says, ed. 1889, ii. 158.
praised by Warburton at a time Warburton's letter was written on
the
�� �
