nor his political principles or conversations, got him into any personal difficulties, nor prevented the offer of a pension, nor his acceptance. Kara temporum felicitas, ubi sentire quce velis, et, quce sentias dicer e licet x . The present royal family are winning the hearts of all the friends of the house of Stuart 2 . There is here neither room nor leisure to ascertain the progress of his publications, though, in the idea of Shenstone, it would exhibit the history of his mind and thoughts.
He was employed by Osborne to make a catalogue of the Harleian Library. Perhaps, like those who stay too long on an errand, he did not make the expedition his employer expected, from whom he might deserve a gentle reprimand. The fact was, when he opened a book he liked, he could not restrain from reading it. The bookseller upbraided him in a gross manner, and, as tradition goes, gave him the lie direct, though our catalogue-maker offered at an excuse. Johnson turned the volume into a weapon, and knocked him down, and told him, 'not to be in a hurry to rise, for when he did, he proposed kicking him down stairs 3 . Perhaps the lie direct may be punished ad modum recipients , as the law gives no satisfaction. His account of the collection, and the tracts that are printed in quarto volumes 4 , were well received by the public. Of his folio labours in his English Dictionary 5 a word must be said ; but there is not room for much. The delineation of his plan, which was esteemed a beautiful composition, was inscribed to Lord Chester field, no doubt with permission, whilst he was secretary of state 6 . It was at this time, he said, he aimed at elegance of writing, and
somebody who thinks he has vexed come nearer to me, while his old
me sadly: yet, if it had not been prejudices seemed to be fermenting
for you, you rogue, I should prob- in his mind), this Hanoverian family
ably never have seen it." ' Life, i. is isolde here. They have no friends.'
142. Ib. iv. 165.
1 Tacitus, Historiae, i. I. 3 Ante, i. 304; Life, i. 154.
3 ' Dr. Johnson grew so out- 4 The Harleian Miscellany was
rageous as to say [in 1777] that if printed in eight quarto volumes.
England were fairly polled the pre- Johnson wrote the preface. Life, i.
sent King would be sent away to- 175.
night, and his adherents hanged 5 His Dictionary was published in
to-morrow.' Life, iii. 155. ' Sir two folio volumes,
(said he [1783] in a low voice, having 6 Ib. i. 183.
set
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