must finally be to the public, I may mention to you that, as Dr. Johnson had founded what is called the Literary Club, I thought they had a kind of peculiar interest in any inscription to his memory; and therefore took an opportunity, when there happened to be some of our most eminent members present, to repeat your epitaph; and Mr. Fox, Mr. Windham, Mr. Steevens, Sir Win. Scott, as well as all the other members present, were decidedly of opinion that probabilis was an utterly inadequate epithet as descriptive of Dr. Johnson’s character as a poet; and they were equally clear that some eulogium on him as a poet was absolutely necessary to the integrity of his character. I do, therefore, most earnestly request that you will give us some other epitaph; for the total omission is what none of his friends are willing to agree to. Permit me to add one other consideration, which perhaps when you turn it in your mind, as I am sure your candour will lead you to do, may have some little weight.
“The world in general consider Johnson as a great writer in prose and verse. Now, under the words ‘preceptori recte vivendi gravissimo,’ his admirable powers as a writer of prose are not necessarily included, though I know they are large enough to comprehend them; but that his great excellence in this respect is not necessarily included in these words appears from hence—that Bishop Butler and Bishop Coneybeare may be both described very truly as ‘preceptores recte vivendi gravissimi,’ and yet neither of them were eminent for purity, elegance, or strength of language. If therefore no character at all is
