"Butourauthor’schiefconcernisforthepoorHouseofCommons，whomherepresentsasnakedanddefenceless，whentheCrown，bylosingthisprerogative，wouldbelessabletoprotectthemagainstthepowerofaHouseofLords。WhoforbearslaughingwhentheSpanishFriarrepresentslittleDickyunderthepersonofGomez，insultingtheColonelthatwasabletofrighthimoutofhiswitswithasinglefrown？ThisGomez，sayshe，flewuponhimlikeadragon，gothimdown，theDevilbeingstronginhim，andgavehimbastinadoonbastinado，andbuffetonbuffet，whichthepoorColonel，beingprostrate，sufferedwithamostChristianpatience。Theimprobabilityofthefactneverfailstoraisemirthintheaudience;andonemayventuretoanswerforaBritishHouseofCommons，ifwemayguess，fromitsconducthitherto，thatitwillscarcebeeithersotameorsoweakasourauthorsupposes。"]
ThemeritedreproofwhichSteelehadreceived，thoughsoftenedbysomekindandcourteousexpressions，galledhimbitterly。Herepliedwithlittleforceandgreatacrimony;butnorejoinderappeared。Addisonwasfasthasteningtohisgrave;andhad，wemaywellsuppose，littledispositiontoprosecuteaquarrelwithanoldfriend。Hiscomplainthadterminatedindropsy。Heboreuplongandmanfully。Butatlengthheabandonedallhope，dismissedhisphysicians，andcalmlypreparedhimselftodie。
HisworksheintrustedtothecareofTickell，anddedicatedthemaveryfewdaysbeforehisdeathtoCraggs，inaletterwrittenwiththesweetandgracefuleloquenceofaSaturday’sSpectator。
Inthis，hislastcomposition，healludedtohisapproachingendinwordssomanly，socheerful，andsotender，thatitisdifficulttoreadthemwithouttears。AtthesametimeheearnestlyrecommendedtheinterestsofTickelltothecareofCraggs。
Withinafewhoursofthetimeatwhichthisdedicationwaswritten，AddisonsenttobegGay，whowasthenlivingbyhiswitsabouttown，tocometoHollandHouse。Gaywent，andwasreceivedwithgreatkindness。Tohisamazementhisforgivenesswasimploredbythedyingman。PoorGay，themostgood—naturedandsimpleofmankind，couldnotimaginewhathehadtoforgive。
Therewas，however，somewrong，theremembranceofwhichweighedonAddison’smind，andwhichhedeclaredhimselfanxioustorepair。Hewasinastateofextremeexhaustion;andthepartingwasdoubtlessafriendlyoneonbothsides。GaysupposedthatsomeplantoservehimhadbeeninagitationatCourt，andhadbeenfrustratedbyAddison’sinfluence。Noristhisimprobable。
Gayhadpaidassiduouscourttotheroyalfamily。ButintheQueen’sdayshehadbeentheeulogistofBolingbroke，andwasstillconnectedwithmanyTories。ItisnotstrangethatAddison，whileheatedbyconflict，shouldhavethoughthimselfjustifiedinobstructingtheprefermentofonewhomhemightregardasapoliticalenemy。Neitherisitstrangethat，whenreviewinghiswholelife，andearnestlyscrutinisingallhismotives，heshouldthinkthathehadactedanunkindandungenerouspart，inusinghispoweragainstadistressedmanofletters，whowasasharmlessandashelplessasachild。
Oneinferencemaybedrawnfromthisanecdote。ItappearsthatAddison，onhisdeath—bed，calledhimselftoastrictaccount，andwasnotateasetillhehadaskedpardonforaninjurywhichitwasnotevensuspectedthathehadcommitted，foraninjurywhichwouldhavecauseddisquietonlytoaverytenderconscience。Isitnotthenreasonabletoinferthat，ifhehadreallybeenguiltyofformingabaseconspiracyagainstthefameandfortunesofarival，hewouldhaveexpressedsomeremorseforsoseriousacrime？Butitisunnecessarytomultiplyargumentsandevidenceforthedefence，whenthereisneitherargumentnorevidencefortheaccusation。
ThelastmomentsofAddisonwereperfectlyserene。Hisinterviewwithhisstep—sonisuniversallyknown。"See，"hesaid，"howaChristiancandie。"ThepietyofAddisonwas，intruth，ofasingularlycheerfulcharacter。Thefeelingwhichpredominatesinallhisdevotionalwritings，isgratitude。Godwastohimtheall—wiseandall—powerfulfriendwhohadwatchedoverhiscradlewithmorethanmaternaltenderness;whohadlistenedtohiscriesbeforetheycouldformthemselvesinprayer;whohadpreservedhisyouthfromthesnaresofvice;whohadmadehiscuprunoverwithworldlyblessings;whohaddoubledthevalueofthoseblessings，bybestowingathankfulhearttoenjoythem，anddearfriendstopartakethem;whohadrebukedthewavesoftheLiguriangulf，hadpurifiedtheautumnalairoftheCampagna，andhadrestrainedtheavalanchesofMontCenis。OfthePsalms，hisfavouritewasthatwhichrepresentstheRulerofallthingsundertheendearingimageofashepherd，whosecrookguidestheflocksafe，throughgloomyanddesolateglens，tomeadowswellwateredandrichwithherbage。Onthatgoodnesstowhichheascribedallthehappinessofhislife，hereliedinthehourofdeathwiththelovewhichcastethoutfear。HediedontheseventeenthofJune1710。Hehadjustenteredonhisforty—eighthyear。
HisbodylayinstateintheJerusalemChamber，andwasbornethencetotheAbbeyatdeadofnight。Thechoirsangafuneralhymn。BishopAtterbury，oneofthoseTorieswhohadlovedandhonouredthemostaccomplishedoftheWhigs，metthecorpse，andledtheprocessionbytorchlight，roundtheshrineofSaintEdwardandthegravesofthePlantagenets，totheChapelofHenrytheSeventh。OnthenorthsideofthatChapel，inthevaultoftheHouseofAlbemarle，thecoffinofAddisonliesnexttothecoffinofMontague。Yetafewmonths;andthesamemournerspassedagainalongthesameaisle。Thesamesadanthemwasagainchanted。Thesamevaultwasagainopened;andthecoffinofCraggswasplacedclosetothecoffinofAddison。
ManytributeswerepaidtothememoryofAddison;butonealoneisnowremembered。Tickellbewailedhisfriendinanelegywhichwoulddohonourtothegreatestnameinourliterature，andwhichunitestheenergyandmagnificenceofDrydentothetendernessandpurityofCowper。ThisfinepoemwasprefixedtoasuperbeditionofAddison’sworks，whichwaspublished，in1721，bysubscription。Thenamesofthesubscribersprovedhowwidelyhisfamehadbeenspread。Thathiscountrymenshouldbeeagertopossesshiswritings，eveninacostlyform，isnotwonderful。
Butitiswonderfulthat，thoughEnglishliteraturewasthenlittlestudiedontheContinent，SpanishGrandees，ItalianPrelates，MarshalsofFrance，shouldbefoundinthelist。AmongthemostremarkablenamesarethoseoftheQueenofSweden，ofPrinceEugene，oftheGrandDukeofTuscany，oftheDukesofParma，Modena，andGuastalla，oftheDogeofGenoa，oftheRegentOrleans，andofCardinalDubois。Weoughttoaddthatthisedition，thougheminentlybeautiful，isinsomeimportantpointsdefective;nor，indeed，doweyetpossessacompletecollectionofAddison’swritings。
Itisstrangethatneitherhisopulentandnoblewidow，noranyofhispowerfulandattachedfriends，shouldhavethoughtofplacingevenasimpletablet，inscribedwithhisname，onthewallsoftheAbbey。Itwasnottillthreegenerationshadlaughedandweptoverhispagesthattheomissionwassuppliedbythepublicveneration。Atlength，inourowntime，hisimage，skilfullygraven，appearedinPoet’sCorner。Itrepresentshim，aswecanconceivehim，cladinhisdressing—gown，andfreedfromhiswig，steppingfromhisparlouratChelseaintohistrimlittlegarden，withtheaccountofthe"EverlastingClub，"orthe"LovesofHilpaandShalum，"justfinishedforthenextday’sSpectator，inhishand。Suchamarkofnationalrespectwasduetotheunsulliedstatesman，totheaccomplishedscholar，tothemasterofpureEnglisheloquence，totheconsummatepainteroflifeandmanners。Itwasdue，aboveall，tothegreatsatirist，whoaloneknewhowtouseridiculewithoutabusingit，who，withoutinflictingawound，effectedagreatsocialreform，andwhoreconciledwitandvirtue，afteralonganddisastrousseparation，duringwhichwithadbeenledastraybyprofligacy，andvirtuebyfanaticism。
SAMUELJOHNSON
（September1831）
TheLifeofSamuelJohnsonLL。D。IncludingaJournalOfaTourtotheHebridesbyJamesBoswell，Esq。AnewEdition，withnumerousAdditionsandNotesByJOHNWILSONCROKER，LL。D。，F。R。S。
Fivevolumes，8vo。London:1831
THISworkhasgreatlydisappointedus。Whateverfaultswemayhavebeenpreparedtofindinit，wefullyexpectedthatitwouldbeavaluableadditiontoEnglishliterature;thatitwouldcontainmanycuriousfacts，andmanyjudiciousremarks;thatthestyleofthenoteswouldbeneat，clear，andprecise;andthatthetypographicalexecutionwouldbe，asinneweditionsofclassicalworksitoughttobe，almostfaultless。WearesorrytobeobligedtosaythatthemeritsofMr。Croker’sperformanceareonaparwiththoseofacertainlegofmuttononwhichDr。
Johnsondined，whiletravellingfromLondontoOxford，andwhichhe，withcharacteristicenergy，pronouncedtobe"asbadasbadcouldbe，illfed，illkilled，illkept，andilldressed。"Thiseditionisillcompiled，illarranged，illwritten，andillprinted。
NothingintheworkhasastonishedussomuchastheignoranceorcarelessnessofMr。Crokerwithrespecttofactsanddates。Manyofhisblundersaresuchasweshouldbesurprisedtohearanywell—educatedgentlemancommit，eveninconversation。Thenotesabsolutelyswarmwithmisstatements，intowhichtheeditorneverwouldhavefallen，ifhehadtakentheslightestpainstoinvestigatethetruthofhisassertions，orifhehadevenbeenwellacquaintedwiththebookonwhichheundertooktocomment。
Wewillgiveafewinstances。
Mr。CrokertellsusinanotethatDerrick，whowasmasteroftheceremoniesatBath，diedverypoorin1760。[Vol。i。394。]Wereadon;and，afewpageslater，wefindDr。JohnsonandBoswelltalkingofthissameDerrickasstilllivingandreigning，ashavingretrievedhischaracter，aspossessingsomuchpoweroverhissubjectsatBath，thathisoppositionmightbefataltoSheridan’slecturesonoratory。[i。404。]Andallthisisin1763。Thefactis，thatDerrickdiedin1769。
Inonenoteweread，thatSirHerbertCroft，theauthorofthatpompousandfoolishaccountofYoung，whichappearsamongtheLivesofthePoets，diedin1805。[Vol。iv。321。]Anothernoteinthesamevolumestates，thatthissameSirHerbertCroftdiedatParis，afterresidingabroadforfifteenyears，onthe27thofApril，1816。[iv。428。]
Mr。Crokerinformsus，thatSirWilliamForbesofPitsligo，theauthoroftheLifeofBeattie，diedin1816。[ii。262。]ASirWilliamForbesundoubtedlydiedinthatyear，butnottheSirWilliamForbesinquestion，whosedeathtookplacein1806。Itisnotorious，indeed，thatthebiographerofBeattielivedjustlongenoughtocompletethehistoryofhisfriend。EightornineyearsbeforethedatewhichMr。CrokerhasassignedforSirWilliam’sdeath，SirWalterScottlamentedthateventintheintroductiontothefourthcantoofMarmion。Everyschoolgirlknowsthelines:
"ScarcehadlamentedForbespaidThetributetohisMinstrel’sshade;
Thetaleoffriendshipscarcewastold，Erethenarrator’sheartwascold:
FarmaywesearchbeforewefindAheartsomanlyandsokind！"
Inoneplace，wearetold，thatAllanRamsay，thepainter，wasbornin1709，anddiedin1784;[iv。105。]inanother，thathediedin1784，intheseventy—firstyearofhisage。[v。281。]
Inoneplace，Mr。Crokersays，thatatthecommencementoftheintimacybetweenDr。JohnsonandMrs。Thrale，in1765，theladywastwenty—fiveyearsold。[i。510。]Inotherplaceshesays，thatMrs。Thrale’sthirty—fifthyearcoincidedwithJohnson’sseventieth。[iv。271，322。]Johnsonwasbornin1709。If，therefore，Mrs。Thrale’sthirty—fifthyearcoincidedwithJohnson’sseventieth，shecouldhavebeenonlytwenty—oneyearsoldin1765。Thisisnotall。Mr。Croker，inanotherplace，assignstheyear1777asthedateofthecomplimentarylineswhichJohnsonmadeonMrs。Thrale’sthirty—fifthbirthday。
[iii。463。]Ifthisdatebecorrect，Mrs。Thralemusthavebeenbornin1742，andcouldhavebeenonlytwenty—threewhenheracquaintancewithJohnsoncommenced。Mr。Crokerthereforegivesusthreedifferentstatementsastoherage。Twoofthethreemustbeincorrect。Wewillnotdecidebetweenthem;wewillonlysay，thatthereasonswhichMr。CrokergivesforthinkingthatMrs。Thralewasexactlythirty—fiveyearsoldwhenJohnsonwasseventy，appeartousutterlyfrivolous。
Again，Mr。Crokerinformshisreadersthat"LordMansfieldsurvivedJohnsonfulltenyears。"[ii。151。]LordMansfieldsurvivedDr。Johnsonjusteightyearsandaquarter。
JohnsonfoundinthelibraryofaFrenchlady，whomhevisitedduringhisshortvisittoParis，someworkswhichheregardedwithgreatdisdain。"Ilooked，"sayshe，"intothebooksinthelady’scloset，and，incontempt，showedthemtoMr。Thrale。
PrinceTiti，BibliothequedesFees，andotherbooks。"[iii。271。]
TheHistoryofPrinceTiti，observesMr。Croker，"wassaidtobetheautobiographyofFrederickPrinceofWales，butwasprobablywrittenbyRalphhissecretary。"Amoreabsurdnoteneverwaspenned。TheHistoryofPrinceTiti，towhichMr。Crokerrefers，whetherwrittenbyPrinceFrederickorbyRalph，wascertainlyneverpublished。IfMr。CrokerhadtakenthetroubletoreadwithattentionthatverypassageinPark’sRoyalandNobleAuthorswhichhecitesashisauthority，hewouldhaveseenthatthemanuscriptwasgivenuptotheGovernment。Evenifthismemoirhadbeenprinted，itisnotverylikelytofinditswayintoaFrenchlady’sbookcase。AndwouldanymaninhissensesspeakcontemptuouslyofaFrenchlady，forhavinginherpossessionanEnglishwork，socuriousandinterestingasaLifeofPrinceFrederick，whetherwrittenbyhimselforbyaconfidentialsecretary，musthavebeen？ThehistoryatwhichJohnsonlaughedwasaverypropercompaniontotheBibliothequedesFees，afairytaleaboutgoodPrinceTitiandnaughtyPrinceViolent。Mr。
CrokermayfinditintheMagasindesEnfans，thefirstFrenchbookwhichthelittlegirlsofEnglandreadtotheirgovernesses。
Mr。CrokerstatesthatMr。HenryBate，whoafterwardsassumedthenameofDudley，wasproprietoroftheMorningHerald，andfoughtaduelwithGeorgeRobinsonStoney，inconsequenceofsomeattacksonLadyStrathmorewhichappearedinthatpaper。[v。
196。]NowMr。Batewasthenconnected，notwiththeMorningHerald，butwiththeMorningPost;andthedisputetookplacebeforetheMorningHeraldwasinexistence。TheduelwasfoughtinJanuary1777。TheChronicleoftheAnnualRegisterforthatyearcontainsanaccountofthetransaction，anddistinctlystatesthatMr。BatewaseditoroftheMorningPost。TheMorningHerald，asanypersonmayseebylookingatanynumberofit，wasnotestablishedtillsomeyearsafterthisaffair。Forthisblunderthereis，wemustacknowledgesomeexcuse;foritcertainlyseemsalmostincredibletoapersonlivinginourtimethatanyhumanbeingshouldeverhavestoopedtofightwithawriterintheMorningPost。
"JamesdeDuglas，"saysMr。Croker，"wasrequestedbyKingRobertBruce，inhislasthours，torepair，withhisheart，toJerusalem，andhumblytodeposititatthesepulchreofourLord，whichhedidin1329。"[Vol。iv。29。]Now，itiswellknownthathedidnosuchthing，andforaverysufficientreason，becausehewaskilledbytheway。Norwasitin1329thathesetout。
RobertBrucediedin1329，andtheexpeditionofDouglastookplaceinthefollowingyear，"Quandleprintempsvintetl...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：