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on tripe at a cookshop underground； where he could wipe his hands； after
his greasy meal； on the back of a Newfoundland dog。 It is easy； therefore；
to imagine what humiliations and privations must have awaited the novice
who had still to earn a name。 One of the publishers to whom Johnson
applied for employment measured with a scornful eye that athletic though
uncouth frame； and exclaimed； 〃You had better get a porter's knot； and
carry trunks。〃 Nor was the advice bad； for a porter was likely to be as
plentifully fed； and as comfortably lodged； as a poet。
Some time appears to have elapsed before Johnson was able to form
any literary connection from which he could expect more than bread for
the day which was passing over him。 He never forgot the generosity with
which Hervey； who was now residing in London； relieved his wants
during this time of trial。 〃Harry Hervey；〃 said the old philosopher many
years later； 〃was a vicious man； but he was very kind to me。 If you call a
dog Hervey I shall love him。〃 At Hervey's table Johnson sometimes
enjoyed feasts which were made more agreeable by contrast。 But in
general he dined； and thought that he dined well； on sixpenny worth of
meat； and a pennyworth of bread； at an alehouse near Drury Lane。
The effect of the privations and sufferings which he endured at this
time was discernible to the last in his temper and his deportment。 His
manners had never been courtly。 They now became almost savage。 Being
frequently under the necessity of wearing shabby coats and dirty shirts； he
became a confirmed sloven。 Being often very hungry when he sat down to
his meals； he contracted a habit of eating with ravenous greediness。 Even
to the end of his life； and even at the tables of the great； the sight of food
affected him as it affects wild beasts and birds of prey。 His taste in cookery；
formed in subterranean ordinaries and alamode beefshops； was far from
delicate。 Whenever he was so fortunate as to have near him a hare that had
been kept too long； or a meat pie made with rancid butter； he gorged
himself with such violence that his veins swelled； and the moisture broke
out on his forehead。 The affronts which his poverty emboldened stupid
and low…minded men to offer to him would have broken a mean spirit into
sycophancy； but made him rude even to ferocity。 Unhappily the insolence
which； while it was defensive； was pardonable； and in some sense
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
respectable； accompanied him into societies where he was treated with
courtesy and kindness。 He was repeatedly provoked into striking those
who had taken liberties with him。 All the sufferers； however； were wise
enough to abstain from talking about their beatings； except Osborne； the
most rapacious and brutal of booksellers； who proclaimed everywhere that
he had been knocked down by the huge fellow whom he had hired to puff
the Harleian Library。
About a year after Johnson had begun to reside in London； he was
fortunate enough to obtain regular employment from Cave； an enterprising
and intelligent bookseller； who was proprietor and editor of the
〃Gentleman's Magazine。〃 That journal； just entering on the ninth year of
its long existence； was the only periodical work in the kingdom which
then had what would now be called a large circulation。 It was； indeed； the
chief source of parliamentary intelligence。 It was not then safe； even
during a recess； to publish an account of the proceedings of either House
without some disguise。 Cave； however； ventured to entertain his readers
with what he called 〃Reports of the Debates of the Senate of Lilliput。〃
France was Blefuscu； London was Mildendo： pounds were sprugs： the
Duke of Newcastle was the Nardac secretary of State： Lord Hardwicke
was the Hurgo Hickrad： and William Pulteney was Wingul Pulnub。 To
write the speeches was； during several years； the business of Johnson。 He
was generally furnished with notes； meagre indeed； and inaccurate； of
what had been said； but sometimes he had to find arguments and
eloquence both for the ministry and for the opposition。 He was himself a
Tory； not from rational convictionfor his serious opinion was that one
form of government was just as good or as bad as anotherbut from mere
passion； such as inflamed the Capulets against the Montagues； or the
Blues of the Roman circus against the Greens。 In his infancy he had heard
so much talk about the villanies of the Whigs； and the dangers of the
Church； that he had become a furious partisan when he could scarcely
speak。 Before he was three he had insisted on being taken to hear
Sacheverell preach at Lichfield Cathedral； and had listened to the sermon
with as much respect； and probably with as much intelligence； as any
Staffordshire squire in the congregation。 The work which had been begun
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
in the nursery had been completed by the university。 Oxford； when
Johnson resided there； was the most Jacobitical place in England； and
Pembroke was one of the most Jacobital colleges in Oxford。 The
prejudices which he brought up to London were scarcely less absurd than
those of his own Tom Tempest。 Charles II。 and James II。 were two of the
best kings that ever reigned。 Laud； a poor creature who never did； said； or
wrote anything indicating more than the ordinary capacity of an old
woman； was a prodigy of parts and learning over whose tomb Art and
Genius still continued to weep。 Hampden deserved no more honourable
name than that of 〃the zealot of rebellion。〃 Even the ship money；
condemned not less decidedly by Falkland and Clarendon than by the
bitterest Roundheads； Johnson would not pronounce to have been an
unconstitutional impost。 Under a government； the mildest that had ever
been known in the worldunder a government； which allowed to the
people an unprecedented liberty of speech and actionhe fancied that he
was a slave； he assailed the ministry with obloquy which refuted itself；
and regretted the lost freedom and happiness of those golden days in
which a writer who had taken but one…tenth part of the license allowed to
him would have been pilloried； mangled with the shears； whipped at the
cart's tail； and flung into a noisome dungeon to die。 He hated dissenters
and stockjobbers； the excise and the army； septennial parliaments； and
continental connections。 He long had an aversion to the Scotch； an
aversion of which he could not remember the commencement； but which；
he owned； had probably originated in his abhorrence of the conduct of the
nation during the Great Rebellion。 It is easy to guess in what manner
debates on great party questions were likely to be reported by a man
whose judgment was so much disordered by party spirit。 A show of
fairness was indeed necessary to the prosperity of the Magazine。 But
Johnson long afterwards owned that； though he had saved appearances； he
had taken care that the Whig dogs should not have the best of it； and； in
fact； every passage which has lived； every passage which bears the marks
of his higher faculties； is put into the mouth of some member of the
opposition。
A few weeks after Johnson had entered on these obscure labours； he
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
published a work which at once placed him high among the writers of his
age。 I