446 Letters of Dr. Johnson.
the text, and the text will frequently be refused while it is any man's property.
I am, Sir, Your humble Servant,
SAM: JOHNSON.
March 7, 1774.
To JAMES MACPHERSON'.
MR. JAMES MACPHERSON, I received your foolish and im pudent note. Whatever insult is offered me I will do my best to repel, and what I cannot do for myself the law will do for me. I will not desist from detecting what I think a cheat from any fear of the menaces of a Ruffian.
You want me to retract. What shall I retract? I thought your book an imposture from the beginning, I think it upon yet surer reasons an imposture still. For this opinion I give the publick my reasons which I here dare you to refute.
But however I may despise you, I reverence truth, and if you can prove the genuineness of the work I will confess it. Your rage I defy, your abilities since your Homer are not so formidable, and what I have heard of your morals disposes me to pay regard not to what you shall say, but what you can prove.
You may print this if you will.
SAM: JOHNSON.
Jan. 20, 1775. To Mr. James Macpherson.
1 This copy of Johnson's letter to ' MR. JAMES MACPHERSON,
Macpherson I owe to the kindness of ' I received your foolish and im-
Mrs. Archer-Hind of Little Newn- pudent letter. Any violence offered
ham, Cambridge, who possesses a me I shall do my best to repel ;
tracing of the original made by her and what I cannot do for myself, the
father, the late Mr. Lewis Pocock. law shall do for me. I hope I never
At the sale of Mr. Pocock's auto- shall be deterred from detecting what
graphs, on May 10, 1875, the original I think a cheat, by the menaces of
fetched ,50. Letters, i. 307. a ruffian.
The copy printed in the Life, ii. * What would you have me retract ?
298, was dictated to Boswell by John- I thought your book an imposture;
son from memory. It runs as fol- I think it an imposture still. For
lows : this opinion I have given my reasons
To
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