’AtEdial，nearLichfield，inStaffordshire，younggentlemenareboardedandtaughttheLatinandGreeklanguages，bySAMUEL
　　JOHNSON。’
　　ButtheonlypupilsthatwereputunderhiscarewerethecelebratedDavidGarrickandhisbrotherGeorge，andaMr。Offely，ayounggentlemanofgoodfortunewhodiedearly。Thetruthis，thathewasnotsowellqualifiedforbeingateacherofelements，andaconductorinlearningbyregulargradations，asmenofinferiourpowersofmind。Hisownacquisitionshadbeenmadebyfitsandstarts，byviolentirruptionsintotheregionsofknowledge；anditcouldnotbeexpectedthathisimpatiencewouldbesubdued，andhisimpetuosityrestrained，soastofithimforaquietguidetonovices。
　　Johnsonwasnotmoresatisfiedwithhissituationasthemasterofanacademy，thanwiththatoftheusherofaschool；weneednotwonder，therefore，thathedidnotkeephisacademyaboveayearandahalf。FromMr。Garrick’saccounthedidnotappeartohavebeenprofoundlyreverencedbyhispupils。Hisodditiesofmanner，anduncouthgesticulations，couldnotbutbethesubjectofmerrimenttothem；and，inparticular，theyoungroguesusedtolistenatthedoorofhisbed-chamber，andpeepthroughthekey-
　　hole，thattheymightturnintoridiculehistumultuousandawkwardfondnessforMrs。Johnson，whomheusedtonamebythefamiliarappellationofTettyorTetsey，which，likeBettyorBetsey，isprovinciallyusedasacontractionforElisabeth，herchristianname，butwhichtousseemsludicrous，whenappliedtoawomanofherageandappearance。Mr。Garrickdescribedhertomeasveryfat，withabosomofmorethanordinaryprotuberance，withswelledcheeksofafloridred，producedbythickpainting，andincreasedbytheliberaluseofcordials；flaringandfantastickinherdress，andaffectedbothinherspeechandhergeneralbehaviour。
　　IhaveseenGarrickexhibither，byhisexquisitetalentofmimickry，soastoexcitetheheartiestburstsoflaughter；buthe，probably，asisthecaseinallsuchrepresentations，considerablyaggravatedthepicture。
　　JohnsonnowthoughtoftryinghisfortuneinLondon，thegreatfieldofgeniusandexertion，wheretalentsofeverykindhavethefullestscope，andthehighestencouragement。ItisamemorablecircumstancethathispupilDavidGarrickwentthitheratthesametime，*withintentiontocompletehiseducation，andfollowtheprofessionofthelaw，fromwhichhewassoondivertedbyhisdecidedpreferenceforthestage。
　　*BothofthemusedtotalkpleasantlyofthistheirfirstjourneytoLondon。Garrick，evidentlymeaningtoembellishalittle，saidonedayinmyhearing，’werodeandtied。’AndtheBishopofKillaloeinformedme，thatatanothertime，whenJohnsonandGarrickwerediningtogetherinaprettylargecompany，Johnsonhumorouslyascertainingthechronologyofsomething，expressedhimselfthus：’thatwastheyearwhenIcametoLondonwithtwo-
　　pencehalf-pennyinmypocket。’Garrickoverhearinghim，exclaimed，’eh？whatdoyousay？withtwo-pencehalf-pennyinyourpocket？’——JOHNsON，’Whyyes；whenIcamewithtwo-pencehalf-pennyinMYpocket，andthou，Davy，withthreehalf-penceinthine。’——
　　BOSWELL。
　　TheywererecommendedtoMr。Colson，aneminentmathematicianandmasterofanacademy，bythefollowingletterfromMr。Walmsley：
　　’TOTHEREVERENDMR。COLSON。
　　’Lichfield，March2，1737。
　　’DearSir，Ihadthefavourofyours，andamextremelyobligedtoyou；butIcannotsayIhadagreateraffectionforyouuponitthanIhadbefore，beinglongsincesomuchendearedtoyou，aswellbyanearlyfriendship，asbyyourmanyexcellentandvaluablequalifications；and，hadIasonofmyown，itwouldbemyambition，insteadofsendinghimtotheUniversity，todisposeofhimasthisyounggentlemanis。
　　’He，andanotherneighbourofmine，oneMr。SamuelJohnson，setoutthismorningforLondontogether。DavyGarrickistobewithyouearlythenextweek，andMr。Johnsontotryhisfatewithatragedy，andtoseetogethimselfemployedinsometranslation，eitherfromtheLatinortheFrench。Johnsonisaverygoodscholarandpoet，andIhavegreathopeswillturnoutafinetragedy-writer。Ifitshouldanywaylieinyourway，doubtnotbutyouwouldbereadytorecommendandassistyourcountryman。
　　’G。WALMSLEY。’
　　HowheemployedhimselfuponhisfirstcomingtoLondonisnotparticularlyknown。’
　　*OnecuriousanecdotewascommunicatedbyhimselftoMr。JohnNichols。Mr。Wilcox，thebookseller，onbeinginformedbyhimthathisintentionwastogethislivelihoodasanauthour，eyedhisrobustframeattentively，andwithasignificantlook，said，’Youhadbetterbuyaporter’sknot。’Hehoweveradded，’Wilcoxwasoneofmybestfriends。’——BOSWELL。
　　Hehadalittlemoneywhenhecametotown，andheknewhowhecouldliveinthecheapestmanner。HisfirstlodgingswereatthehouseofMr。Norris，astaymaker，inExeter-street，adjoiningCatharine-street，intheStrand。’Idinedsaidheverywellforeight-pence，withverygoodcompany，atthePineAppleinNew-
　　street，justby。Severalofthemhadtravelled。Theyexpectedtomeeteveryday；butdidnotknowoneanother’snames。Itusedtocosttherestashilling，fortheydrankwine；butIhadacutofmeatforsix-pence，andbreadforapenny，andgavethewaiterapenny；sothatIwasquitewellserved，nay，betterthantherest，fortheygavethewaiternothing。’Heatthistime，Ibelieve，abstainedentirelyfromfermentedliquors：apracticetowhichherigidlyconformedformanyyearstogether，atdifferentperiodsofhislife。
　　HisOfellusintheArtofLivinginLondon，Ihaveheardhimrelate，wasanIrishpainter，whomheknewatBirmingham，andwhohadpractisedhisownpreceptsofoeconomyforseveralyearsintheBritishcapital。HeassuredJohnson，who，Isuppose，wasthenmeditatingtotryhisfortuneinLondon，butwasapprehensiveoftheexpence，’thatthirtypoundsayearwasenoughtoenableamantolivetherewithoutbeingcontemptible。Heallowedtenpoundsforclothesandlinen。Hesaidamanmightliveinagarretateighteen-penceaweek；fewpeoplewouldinquirewherehelodged；
　　andiftheydid，itwaseasytosay，“Sir，Iamtobefoundatsuchaplace。“Byspendingthree-penceinacoffeehouse，hemightbeforsomehourseverydayinverygoodcompany；hemightdineforsix-pence，breakfastonbreadandmilkforapenny，anddowithoutsupper。Onclean-shirt-dayhewentabroad，andpaidvisits。’I
　　haveheardhimmorethanoncetalkofthisfrugalfriend，whomherecollectedwithesteemandkindness，anddidnotliketohaveonesmileattherecital。’Thismansaidhe，gravelywasaverysensibleman，whoperfectlyunderstoodcommonaffairs：amanofagreatdealofknowledgeoftheworld，freshfromlife，notstrainedthroughbooks。Heamusedhimself，Iremember，bycomputinghowmuchmoreexpencewasabsolutelynecessarytoliveuponthesamescalewiththatwhichhisfrienddescribed，whenthevalueofmoneywasdiminishedbytheprogressofcommerce。Itmaybeestimatedthatdoublethemoneymightnowwithdifficultybesufficient。’
　　Amidstthiscoldobscurity，therewasonebrilliantcircumstancetocheerhim；hewaswellacquaintedwithMr。HenryHervey，oneofthebranchesofthenoblefamilyofthatname，whohadbeenquarteredatLichfieldasanofficerofthearmy，andhadatthistimeahouseinLondon，whereJohnsonwasfrequentlyentertained，andhadanopportunityofmeetinggenteelcompany。Notverylongbeforehisdeath，hementionedthis，amongotherparticularsofhislife，whichhewaskindlycommunicatingtome；andhedescribedthisearlyfriend，’HarryHervey，’thus：’Hewasaviciousman，butverykindtome。IfyoucalladogHERVEY，Ishalllovehim。’
　　HetoldmehehadnowwrittenonlythreeactsofhisIrene，andthatheretiredforsometimetolodgingsatGreenwich，whereheproceededinitsomewhatfurther，andusedtocompose，walkinginthePark；butdidnotstaylongenoughatthatplacetofinishit。
　　InthecourseofthesummerhereturnedtoLichfield，wherehehadleftMrs。Johnson，andthereheatlastfinishedhistragedy，whichwasnotexecutedwithhisrapidityofcompositionuponotheroccasions，butwasslowlyandpainfullyelaborated。Afewdaysbeforehisdeath，whileburningagreatmassofpapers，hepickedoutfromamongthemtheoriginalunformedsketchofthistragedy，inhisownhand-writing，andgaveittoMr。Langton，bywhosefavouracopyofitisnowinmypossession。
　　Johnson’sresidenceatLichfield，onhisreturntoitatthistime，wasonlyforthreemonths；andashehadasyetseenbutasmallpartofthewondersoftheMetropolis，hehadlittletotellhistownsmen。Herelatedtomethefollowingminuteanecdoteofthisperiod：’Inthelastage，whenmymotherlivedinLondon，thereweretwosetsofpeople，thosewhogavethewall，andthosewhotookit；thepeaceableandthequarrelsome。WhenIreturnedtoLichfield，afterhavingbeeninLondon，mymotheraskedme，whetherIwasoneofthosewhogavethewall，orthosewhotookit。NOWitisfixedthateverymankeepstotheright；or，ifoneistakingthewall，anotheryieldsit；anditisneveradispute。’
　　HenowremovedtoLondonwithMrs。Johnson；butherdaughter，whohadlivedwiththematEdial，wasleftwithherrelationsinthecountry。HislodgingswereforsometimeinWoodstock-street，nearHanover-square，andafterwardsinCastle-street，nearCavendish-
　　square。
　　Histragedybeingbythistime，ashethought，completelyfinishedandfitforthestage，hewasverydesirousthatitshouldbebroughtforward。Mr。PeterGarricktoldme，thatJohnsonandhewenttogethertotheFountaintavern，andreaditover，andthatheafterwardssolicitedMr。Fleetwood，thepatenteeofDrury-lanetheatre，tohaveitactedathishouse；butMr。Fleetwoodwouldnotacceptit，probablybecauseitwasnotpatronizedbysomemanofhighrank；anditwasnotactedtill1749，whenhisfriendDavidGarrickwasmanagerofthattheatre。
　　TheGentleman’sMagazine，begunandcarriedonbyMr。EdwardCave，underthenameofSYLVANUSURBAN，hadattractedthenoticeandesteemofJohnson，inaneminentdegree，beforehecametoLondonasanadventurerinliterature。Hetoldme，thatwhenhefirstsawSt。John’sGate，theplacewherethatdeservedlypopularmiscellanywasoriginallyprinted，he’behelditwithreverence。’