InthislistarefoundthenamesofMr。HawkinsthePoetryProfessor，Mr。Shenstone，SirWilliamBlackstone，andothers；notforgettingthecelebratedpopularpreacher，Mr。GeorgeWhitefield，ofwhom，thoughDr。Johnsondidnotthinkveryhighly，itmustbeacknowledgedthathiseloquencewaspowerful，hisviewspiousandcharitable，hisassiduityalmostincredible；and，thatsincehisdeath，theintegrityofhischaracterhasbeenfullyvindicated。
　　Beinghimselfapoet，JohnsonwaspeculiarlyhappyinmentioninghowmanyofthesonsofPembrokewerepoets；adding，withasmileofsportivetriumph，’Sir，weareanestofsingingbirds。’
　　Hewasnot，however，blindtowhathethoughtthedefectsofhisownCollege；andIhave，fromtheinformationofDr。Taylor，averystronginstanceofthatrigidhonestywhichheeverinflexiblypreserved。Taylorhadobtainedhisfather’sconsenttobeenteredofPembroke，thathemightbewithhisschoolfellowJohnson，withwhom，thoughsomeyearsolderthanhimself，hewasveryintimate。
　　ThiswouldhavebeenagreatcomforttoJohnson。ButhefairlytoldTaylorthathecouldnot，inconscience，sufferhimtoenterwhereheknewhecouldnothaveanabletutor。HethenmadeinquiryallroundtheUniversity，andhavingfoundthatMr。
　　Bateman，ofChristChurch，wasthetutorofhighestreputation，TaylorwasenteredofthatCollege。Mr。Bateman’slecturesweresoexcellent，thatJohnsonusedtocomeandgetthematsecond-handfromTaylor，tillhispovertybeingsoextremethathisshoeswerewornout，andhisfeetappearedthroughthem，hesawthatthishumiliatingcircumstancewasperceivedbytheChristChurchmen，andhecamenomore。Hewastooproudtoacceptofmoney，andsomebodyhavingsetapairofnewshoesathisdoor，hethrewthemawaywithindignation。HowmustwefeelwhenwereadsuchananecdoteofSamuelJohnson!
　　Theresangustadomipreventedhimfromhavingtheadvantageofacompleteacademicaleducation。Thefriendtowhomhehadtrustedforsupporthaddeceivedhim。HisdebtsinCollege，thoughnotgreat，wereincreasing；andhisscantyremittancesfromLichfield，whichhadallalongbeenmadewithgreatdifficulty，couldbesuppliednolonger，hisfatherhavingfallenintoastateofinsolvency。Compelled，therefore，byirresistiblenecessity，helefttheCollegeinautumn，1731，withoutadegree，havingbeenamemberofitlittlemorethanthreeyears。
　　AndnowIhadalmostsaidPOORSamuelJohnsonreturnedtohisnativecity，destitute，andnotknowinghowheshouldgainevenadecentlivelihood。Hisfather’smisfortunesintraderenderedhimunabletosupporthisson；andforsometimethereappearednomeansbywhichhecouldmaintainhimself。IntheDecemberofthisyearhisfatherdied。
　　Johnsonwassofarfortunate，thattherespectablecharacterofhisparents，andhisownmerit，had，fromhisearliestyears，securedhimakindreceptioninthebestfamiliesatLichfield。AmongtheseIcanmentionMr。Howard，Dr。Swinfen，Mr。Simpson，Mr。
　　Levett，CaptainGarrick，fatherofthegreatornamentoftheBritishstage；butaboveall，Mr。GilbertWalmsley，RegisterofthePrerogativeCourtofLichfield，whosecharacter，longafterhisdecease，Dr。Johnsonhas，inhisLifeofEdmundSmith，thusdrawnintheglowingcoloursofgratitude：
　　’OfGilbertWalmsley，thuspresentedtomymind，letmeindulgemyselfintheremembrance。Iknewhimveryearly；hewasoneofthefirstfriendsthatliteratureprocuredme，andIhopethat，atleast，mygratitudemademeworthyofhisnotice。
　　’Hewasofanadvancedage，andIwasonlynotaboy，yetheneverreceivedmynotionswithcontempt。Hewasawhig，withallthevirulenceandmalevolenceofhisparty；yetdifferenceofopiniondidnotkeepusapart。Ihonouredhimandheenduredme。
　　’Atthisman’stableIenjoyedmanycheerfulandinstructivehours，withcompanions，suchasarenotoftenfound——withonewhohaslengthened，andonewhohasgladdenedlife；withDr。James，whoseskillinphysickwillbelongremembered；andwithDavidGarrick，whomIhopedtohavegratifiedwiththischaracterofourcommonfriend。Butwhatarethehopesofman!Iamdisappointedbythatstrokeofdeath，whichhaseclipsedthegaietyofnations，andimpoverishedthepublickstockofharmlesspleasure。’
　　Inthesefamilieshepassedmuchtimeinhisearlyyears。Inmostofthem，hewasinthecompanyofladies，particularlyatMr。
　　Walmsley’s，whosewifeandsisters-in-law，ofthenameofAston，anddaughtersofaBaronet，wereremarkableforgoodbreeding；sothatthenotionwhichhasbeenindustriouslycirculatedandbelieved，thatheneverwasingoodcompanytilllateinlife，and，consequentlyhadbeenconfirmedincoarseandferociousmannersbylonghabits，iswhollywithoutfoundation。Someoftheladieshaveassuredme，theyrecollectedhimwellwhenayoungman，asdistinguishedforhiscomplaisance。
　　Intheforlornstateofhiscircumstances，heacceptedofanoffertobeemployedasusherintheschoolofMarket-Bosworth，inLeicestershire，towhichitappears，fromoneofhislittlefragmentsofadiary，thathewentonfoot，onthe16thofJuly。
　　Thisemploymentwasveryirksometohimineveryrespect，andhecomplainedgrievouslyofitinhisletterstohisfriendMr。
　　Hector，whowasnowsettledasasurgeonatBirmingham。Thelettersarelost；butMr。Hectorrecollectshiswriting’thatthepoethaddescribedthedullsamenessofhisexistenceinthesewords，“Vitamcontinetunadies“onedaycontainsthewholeofmylife；thatitwasunvariedasthenoteofthecuckow；andthathedidnotknowwhetheritwasmoredisagreeableforhimtoteach，ortheboystolearn，thegrammarrules。’HisgeneralaversiontothispainfuldrudgerywasgreatlyenhancedbyadisagreementbetweenhimandSirWolstanDixey，thepatronoftheschool，inwhosehouse，Ihavebeentold，heofficiatedasakindofdomestickchaplain，sofar，atleast，astosaygraceattable，butwastreatedwithwhatherepresentedasintolerableharshness；and，aftersufferingforafewmonthssuchcomplicatedmisery，herelinquishedasituationwhichallhislifeafterwardsherecollectedwiththestrongestaversion，andevenadegreeofhorrour。Butitisprobablethatatthisperiod，whateveruneasinesshemayhaveendured，helaidthefoundationofmuchfutureeminencebyapplicationtohisstudies。
　　Beingnowagaintotallyunoccupied，hewasinvitedbyMr。HectortopasssometimewithhimatBirmingham，ashisguest，atthehouseofMr。Warren，withwhomMr。Hectorlodgedandboarded。Mr。WarrenwasthefirstestablishedbooksellerinBirmingham，andwasveryattentivetoJohnson，whohesoonfoundcouldbeofmuchservicetohiminhistrade，byhisknowledgeofliterature；andheevenobtainedtheassistanceofhispeninfurnishingsomenumbersofaperiodicalEssayprintedinthenewspaper，ofwhichWarrenwasproprietor。Afterverydiligentinquiry，IhavenotbeenabletorecoverthoseearlyspecimensofthatparticularmodeofwritingbywhichJohnsonafterwardssogreatlydistinguishedhimself。
　　HecontinuedtoliveasMr。Hector’sguestforaboutsixmonths，andthenhiredlodgingsinanotherpartofthetown，findinghimselfaswellsituatedatBirminghamashesupposedhecouldbeanywhere，whilehehadnosettledplanoflife，andveryscantymeansofsubsistence。Hemadesomevaluableacquaintancesthere，amongstwhomwereMr。Porter，amercer，whosewidowheafterwardsmarried，andMr。Taylor，whobyhisingenuityinmechanicalinventions，andhissuccessintrade，acquiredanimmensefortune。
　　ButthecomfortofbeingnearMr。Hector，hisoldschool-fellowandintimatefriend，wasJohnson’schiefinducementtocontinuehere。
　　Hisjuvenileattachmentstothefairsexwereverytransient；anditiscertainthatheformednocriminalconnectionwhatsoever。
　　Mr。Hector，wholivedwithhiminhisyoungerdaysintheutmostintimacyandsocialfreedom，hasassuredme，thatevenatthatardentseasonhisconductwasstrictlyvirtuousinthatrespect；
　　andthatthoughhelovedtoexhilaratehimselfwithwine，heneverknewhimintoxicatedbutonce。
　　Inamanwhomreligiouseducationhassecuredfromlicentiousindulgences，thepassionoflove，whenonceithasseizedhim，isexceedinglystrong；beingunimpairedbydissipation，andtotallyconcentratedinoneobject。ThiswasexperiencedbyJohnson，whenhebecametheferventadmirerofMrs。Porter，afterherfirsthusband’sdeath。MissPortertoldme，thatwhenhewasfirstintroducedtohermother，hisappearancewasveryforbidding：hewasthenleanandlank，sothathisimmensestructureofboneswashideouslystrikingtotheeye，andthescarsofthescrophulaweredeeplyvisible。Healsoworehishair，whichwasstraightandstiff，andseparatedbehind：andheoftenhad，seemingly，convulsivestartsandoddgesticulations，whichtendedtoexciteatoncesurprizeandridicule。Mrs。Porterwassomuchengagedbyhisconversationthatsheoverlookedalltheseexternaldisadvantages，andsaidtoherdaughter，’thisisthemostsensiblemanthatI
　　eversawinmylife。’
　　ThoughMrs。PorterwasdoubletheageofJohnson，andherpersonandmanner，asdescribedtomebythelateMr。Garrick，werebynomeanspleasingtoothers，shemusthavehadasuperiorityofunderstandingandtalents，asshecertainlyinspiredhimwithamorethanordinarypassion；andshehavingsignifiedherwillingnesstoacceptofhishand，hewenttoLichfieldtoaskhismother’sconsenttothemarriage，whichhecouldnotbutbeconsciouswasaveryimprudentscheme，bothonaccountoftheirdisparityofyears，andherwantoffortune。ButMrs。Johnsonknewtoowelltheardourofherson’stemper，andwastootenderaparenttoopposehisinclinations。
　　IknownotforwhatreasonthemarriageceremonywasnotperformedatBirmingham；butaresolutionwastakenthatitshouldbeatDerby，forwhichplacethebrideandbridegroomsetoutonhorseback，Isupposeinverygoodhumour。ButthoughMr。TophamBeauclerkusedarchlytomentionJohnson’shavingtoldhim，withmuchgravity，’Sir，itwasalovemarriageonbothsides，’Ihavehadfrommyillustriousfriendthefollowingcuriousaccountoftheirjourneytochurchuponthenuptialmorn：
　　9thJULY：——’Sir，shehadreadtheoldromances，andhadgotintoherheadthefantasticalnotionthatawomanofspiritshoulduseherloverlikeadog。So，Sir，atfirstshetoldmethatIrodetoofast，andshecouldnotkeepupwithme；and，whenIrodealittleslower，shepassedme，andcomplainedthatIlaggedbehind。
　　Iwasnottobemadetheslaveofcaprice；andIresolvedtobeginasImeanttoend。Ithereforepushedonbriskly，tillIwasfairlyoutofhersight。Theroadlaybetweentwohedges，soIwassureshecouldnotmissit；andIcontrivedthatsheshouldsooncomeupwithme。Whenshedid，Iobservedhertobeintears。’
　　This，itmustbeallowed，wasasingularbeginningofconnubialfelicity；butthereisnodoubtthatJohnson，thoughhethusshewedamanlyfirmness，provedamostaffectionateandindulgenthusbandtothelastmomentofMrs。Johnson’slife：andinhisPrayersandMeditations，wefindveryremarkableevidencethathisregardandfondnessforherneverceased，evenafterherdeath。
　　Henowsetupaprivateacademy，forwhichpurposehehiredalargehouse，wellsituatednearhisnativecity。IntheGentleman’sMagazinefor1736，thereisthefollowingadvertisement：