Letter to Lord Chesterfield

In 1747, Dr. Johnson's difficult and highly important work, his Dictionary of the English Language, was announced to the world by the publication of its Plan, addressed to Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield, then one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. Boswell describes the Earl as "a nobleman who was very ambitious of literary distinction, and who, upon being informed of the design, had expressed himself in terms very favourable to its success." Many years later, Johnson told Boswell, "Sir, the way in which the Plan of my Dictionary came to be inscribed to Lord Chesterfield was this: I had neglected to write it by the time appointed. Dodsley (one of the booksellers who had contracted with Johnson for the execution of the work) suggested a desire to have it addressed to Lord Chesterfield. I laid hold of this as a pretext for delay, that it might be better done, and let Dodsley have his desire. I said to my friend, Dr. Bathurst, 'Now if any good comes of my addressing to Lord Chesterfield, it will be ascribed to deep policy, when, in fact, it was only a casual excuse for laziness.'

In 1754, the Dictionary was near publication. During the intervening years, Lord Chesterfield had behaved toward Johnson with coldness and neglect. Now, however, in the hope that Johnson would dedicate the work to him, he attempted to conciliate him by writing two papers in The World, commending the undertaking. Johnson then sent to Lord Chesterfield the following letter. It became famous through the peculiar circumstance that Lord Chesterfield, affecting unconcern, kept it lying on his table where anybody might see it, and even read it to Dodsley, with the remark that "this man has great powers." Johnson was reluctant to have the letter published. It was not until 1781 that Boswell, at great pains and after long delay on Johnson's part, secured a copy. He published it separately, in 1790, the year before his Life of Johnson came out, and six years after Johnson's death.

"TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD.

"MY LORD, I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of The World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the publick, were written by your Lordship. To be so distinguished, is an honour, which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge.

"When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your Lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of your address; and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself Le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre;—that I might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your Lordship in publick, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.

"Seven years, my Lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without

one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a Patron before.

66

The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.

"Is not a Patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the Publick should consider me as owing that to a Patron, which Providence has enabled me to do for myself.

"Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, my Lord, your Lordship's most humble, most obedient servant, "SAM JOHNSON."

JAMES BOSWELL (1740-1795)

From THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D.

Johnson Dines with Jack Wilkes at Mr. Dilly's

At the close of the following account of the dinner at Mr. Dilly's, Boswell compliments himself on his successful negotiation of the meeting between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Wilkes, "two men, who though so widely different, had so many things in common-classical learning, modern literature, wit, and humour, and ready repartee-that it would have been much to be regretted if they had been for ever at a distance from each other." Johnson, a firm Tory, had written of Wilkes, in 1770, "Lampoon itself would disdain to speak ill of him, of whom no man speaks well." He called him "a retailer of sedition and obscenity"; and, in regard to the question of allowing Wilkes to take his seat in Parliament, after being twice expelled for seditious libel, said, "We are now disputing . . . whether Middlesex shall be represented, or not, by a criminal from a gaol." Wilkes, in his paper, The North Briton, had referred to Johnson, with very slight indirectness, as "a slave of state, hired by a stipend to obey his master." This fierce and formidable radical was, from all accounts, a most polished, urbane, charming person.

BUT I conceived an irresistible wish, if possible, to bring Dr. Johnson and Mr. Wilkes together. How to manage it, was a nice and difficult

matter.

My worthy booksellers and friends, Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry, at whose hospitable and well-covered table I have seen a greater number of literary men, than at any other, except that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, had invited me to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen on Wednesday, May 15. "Pray (said I,) let us have Dr. Johnson."-"What with Mr. Wilkes? not for the world, (said Mr. Edward Dilly:) Dr. Johnson would never forgive me.”—“Come, (said I,) if you'll let me negociate for you, I will be answerable that all shall go well." DILLY. "Nay, if you will take it upon you, I am sure I shall be very happy to see them both here."

Notwithstanding the high veneration which I entertained for Dr. Johnson, I was sensible that he was sometimes a little actuated by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of that I hoped I should gain my point. I was persuaded that if I had come upon him with a direct proposal, "Sir, will you dine in company with Jack Wilkes?" he would have flown into a passion, and would probably have answered, "Dine with Jack Wilkes, Sir! I'd as soon dine with Jack Ketch." I therefore, while we were sitting quietly by ourselves at his house in an evening, took occasion to open my plan thus:-"Mr. Dilly, Sir, sends his respectful compliments to you, and would be happy if you would do him the honour to dine with him on Wednesday next along with me, as I must soon go to Scotland." JOHNSON. "Sir, I am obliged to Mr. Dilly. I will wait upon him-" BosWELL. "Provided, Sir, I suppose, that the company which he is to have, is agreeable to you." JOHNSON. "What do you mean, Sir? What do you take me for? Do you think I am so ignorant of the world as to imagine that I am to prescribe to a gentleman what company he is to have at his table?" BOSWELL. "I beg your pardon, Sir, for wishing to prevent you from meeting people whom you might not like. Perhaps he may have some of what he calls his patriotick friends with him." JOHNSON. "Well, sir, and what then? What care I for his patriotick friends? Poh!" BOSWELL. "I should not be surprized to find Jack Wilkes there." JOHNSON. "And if Jack Wilkes should be there, what is that to me, Sir? My dear friend, let us have no more of this. I am sorry to be angry with you; but really it is treating me strangely to talk to me as if I could not meet any company whatever, occasionally." BOSWELL. "Pray forgive me, Sir: I meant well. But you shall meet whoever comes, for me." Thus I secured him, and told Dilly that he would find him very well pleased to be one of his guests on the day appointed.

Upon the much-expected Wednesday, I called on him about half an