按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
died in 1773。 The line seems to have been drawn expressly for the purpose
of excluding the person whose portrait would have most fitly closed the
series。 Goldsmith； however； has been fortunate in his biographers。 Within
a few years his life has been written by Mr Prior； by Mr Washington Irving；
and by Mr Forster。 The diligence of Mr Prior deserves great praise； the
style of Mr Washington Irving is always pleasing； but the highest place
must； in justice； be assigned to the eminently interesting work of Mr
Forster。
。。。
46
… Page 47…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
SAMUEL JOHNSON。
（December 1856。）
Samuel Johnson； one of the most eminent English writers of the
eighteenth century； was the son of Michael Johnson； who was； at the
beginning of that century； a magistrate of Lichfield； and a bookseller of
great note in the midland counties。 Michael's abilities and attainments
seem to have been considerable。 He was so well acquainted with the
contents of the volumes which he exposed to sale； that the country rectors
of Staffordshire and Worcestershire thought him an oracle on points of
learning。 Between him and the clergy； indeed； there was a strong religious
and political sympathy。 He was a zealous churchman； and； though he had
qualified himself for municipal office by taking the oaths to the sovereigns
in possession； was to the last a Jacobite in heart。 At his house； a house
which is still pointed out to every traveller who visits Lichfield； Samuel
was born on the 18th of September 1709。 In the child； the physical；
intellectual； and moral peculiarities which afterwards distinguished the
man were plainly discernible； great muscular strength accompanied by
much awkwardness and many infirmities； great quickness of parts； with a
morbid propensity to sloth and procrastination； a kind and generous heart；
with a gloomy and irritable temper。 He had inherited from his ancestors a
scrofulous taint； which it was beyond the power of medicine to remove。
His parents were weak enough to believe that the royal touch was a
specific for this malady。 In his third year he was taken up to London；
inspected by the court surgeon； prayed over by the court chaplains； and
stroked and presented with a piece of gold by Queen Anne。 One of his
earliest recollections was that of a stately lady in a diamond stomacher and
a long black hood。 Her hand was applied in vain。 The boy's features；
which were originally noble and not irregular； were distorted by his
malady。 His cheeks were deeply scarred。 He lost for a time the sight of one
eye； and he saw but very imperfectly with the other。 But the force of his
mind overcame every impediment。 Indolent as he was； he acquired
knowledge with such ease and rapidity that at every school to which he
was sent he was soon the best scholar。 From sixteen to eighteen he resided
47
… Page 48…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
at home； and was left to his own devices。 He learned much at this time；
though his studies were without guidance and without plan。 He ransacked
his father's shelves； dipped into a multitude of books； read what was
interesting； and passed over what was dull。 An ordinary lad would have
acquired little or no useful knowledge in such a way： but much that was
dull to ordinary lads was interesting to Samuel。 He read little Greek： for
his proficiency in that language was not such that he could take much
pleasure in the masters of Attic poetry and eloquence。 But he had left
school a good Latinist； and he soon acquired； in the large and
miscellaneous library of which he now had the command； an extensive
knowledge of Latin literature。 That Augustan delicacy of taste which is the
boast of the great public schools of England he never possessed。 But he
was early familiar with some classical writers who were quite unknown to
the best scholars in the sixth form at Eton。 He was peculiarly attracted by
the works of the great restorers of learning。 Once； while searching for
some apples； he found a huge folio volume of Petrarch's works。 The name
excited his curiosity； and he eagerly devoured hundreds of pages。 Indeed；
the diction and versification of his own Latin compositions show that he
had paid at least as much attention to modern copies from the antique as to
the original models。
While he was thus irregularly educating himself； his family was
sinking into hopeless poverty。 Old Michael Johnson was much better
qualified to pore upon books； and to talk about them； than to trade in them。
His business declined； his debts increased； it was with difficulty that the
daily expenses of his household were defrayed。 It was out of his power to
support his son at either university； but a wealthy neighbour offered
assistance； and； in reliance on promises which proved to be of very little
value； Samuel was entered at Pembroke College； Oxford。 When the young
scholar presented himself to the rulers of that society； they were amazed
not more by his ungainly figure and eccentric manners than by the
quantity of extensive and curious information which he had picked up
during many months of desultory but not unprofitable study。 On the first
day of his residence he surprised his teachers by quoting Macrobius； and
one of the most learned among them declared that he had never known a
48
… Page 49…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
freshman of equal attainments。
At Oxford； Johnson resided during about three years。 He was poor；
even to raggedness； and his appearance excited a mirth and a pity which
were equally intolerable to his haughty spirit。 He was driven from the
quadrangle of Christ Church by the sneering looks which the members of
that aristocratical society cast at the holes in his shoes。 Some charitable
person placed a new pair at his door； but he spurned them away in a fury。
Distress made him； not servile； but reckless and ungovernable。 No opulent
gentleman commoner； panting for one…and…twenty； could have treated the
academical authorities with more gross disrespect。 The needy scholar was
generally to be seen under the gate of Pembroke； a gate now adorned with
his effigy； haranguing a circle of lads； over whom； in spite of his tattered
gown and dirty linen； his wit and audacity gave him an undisputed
ascendency。 In every mutiny against the discipline of the college he was
the ringleader。 Much was pardoned； however； to a youth so highly
distinguished by abilities and acquirements。 He had early made himself
known by turning Pope's Messiah into Latin verse。 The style and rhythm；
indeed； were not exactly Virgilian； but the translation found many
admirers； and was read with pleasure by Pope himself。
The time drew near at which Johnson would； in the ordinary course of
things； have become a Bachelor of Arts： but he was at the end of his
resources。 Those promises of support on which he had relied had not been
kept。 His family could do nothing for him。 His debts to Oxford tradesmen
were small indeed； yet larger than he could pay。 In the autumn of 1731； he
was under the necessity of quitting the university without a degree。 In the
following winter his father died。 The old man left but a pittance； and of
that pittance almost the whole was appropriated to the support of his
widow。 The property to which Samuel succeeded amounted to no more
than twenty pounds。
His life； during the thirty years which followed； was one hard struggle
with poverty。 The misery of that struggle needed no aggravation； but was
aggravated by the sufferings of an unsound body and an unsound mind。
Before the young man left the university