fented from Dr. Johnfon. When Mr. Barclay had done reading, the Doctor delivered himself nearly to this effect: "That he differed from Mr. Barclay respecting the publication, as from "what he had then heard, he believ"ed the book would do credit to "their late friend, and as to Mr. Scott's diffenting from him, he observed, that "authors would differ in opinion, and "that good performances could not be "too much criticifed." Mr. Barclay read to him fome of the materials that had been collected, which the Doctor faid would do, fo far as they went, but wished that more could be procured, expreffing an anxiety to begin the work. Mr. Barclay then took his leave, pleased with the reception from the Doctor, and filled with admiration at the candour and liberality of his fentiments, expreffed with the utmoft benevolence and friendship, while labouring under the preffure of pain and disease, When When Mr. Barclay left the Doctor, it was agreed that he should call on him again; but when he returned to London, he learned from his faithful black fervant, Francis Barber, that the Doctor's diforder was too much increased for him to admit company. From that time he faw him no more; but the Doctor, a few days before his decease, fent, by a gentleman who paid him a vifit, a meffage to Mr. Barclay, to inform him "that he had not forgot his engage"ment; and that, if it fhould please "God to restore him, he would cer"tainly perform it, for he loved Mr. "Scott.' " The death of this great and good man, which happened in the evening of the 13th of December, having fruftrated the kind intentions of Mr. Barclay, and put an end to his flattering expectations of procuring fo honourable a teftimony to the merits of our deceased friend; he In November following the Doctor came to town, when Mr. Barclay waited on him with the Critical Effays, and fome anecdotes. He found that excellent man in his chamber, much indifposed; and indeed, by this time, the fears of his friends began to be very general, and their distress to increase almost daily, at the nearer prospect of such an irreparable loss. Mr. Barclay entered into a conversation with the Doctor, on the subject of the account to be given of Mr. Scott, and produced fome mate rials which had been collected by several of his friends. He then spoke of the volume of Effays, to which it was defigned to prefix the account, but expreffed fome doubts refpecting the propriety and delicacy of his application to Dr. Johnfon to write a life and criticifm to be placed before the Effays of an author, who had, he observed, in those very Effays, controverted the Doctor's opinion in feveral inftances; and he went fo far as to say, that had he before perused his friend's work, he believed he should not have ventured to folicit the Doctor on the occafion he added, that he thought it might be as well to relinquish the design of publishing the book, as the writer was not living to defend his own criticisms. Upon this the Doctor defired that some of the paffages alluded to might be pointed out to him, which defire Mr. Barclay immediately complied with, and read a few pages, chufing those parts wherein Mr. Scott had dif fented a 3 fented from Dr. Johnson. When Mr. Barclay had done reading, the Doctor delivered himself nearly to this effect: "That he differed from Mr. Barclay "refpecting the publication, as from "what he had then heard, he believ"ed the book would do credit to "their late friend, and as to Mr. Scott's diffenting from him, he obferved, that "authors would differ in opinion, and "that good performances could not be "too much criticised." Mr. Barclay read to him fome of the materials that had been collected, which the Doctor faid would do, fo far as they went, but wished that more could be procured, expreffing an anxiety to begin the work. Mr. Barclay then took his leave, pleased with the reception from the Doctor, and filled with admiration at the candour and liberality of his fentiments, expreffed with the utmost benevolence and friendship, while labouring under the preffure of pain and disease, When |
