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faults of the plan might seem to invite severe criticism。 Johnson has
frequently blamed Shakspeare for neglecting the proprieties of time and
place； and for ascribing to one age or nation the manners and opinions of
another。 Yet Shakspeare has not sinned in this way more grievously than
Johnson。 Rasselas and Imlac； Nekayah and Pekuah； are evidently meant to
be Abyssinians of the eighteenth century： for the Europe which Imlac
describes is the Europe of the eighteenth century； and the inmates of the
Happy Valley talk familiarly of that law of gravitation which Newton
discovered； and which was not fully received even at Cambridge till the
eighteenth century。 What a real company of Abyssinians would have been
may be learned from Bruce's Travels。 But Johnson； not content with
turning filthy savages； ignorant of their letters； and gorged with raw steaks
cut from living cows； into philosophers as eloquent and enlightened as
himself or his friend Burke； and into ladies as highly accomplished as Mrs
Lennox or Mrs Sheridan； transferred the whole domestic system of
England to Egypt。 Into a land of harems； a land of polygamy； a land where
women are married without ever being seen； he introduced the flirtations
and jealousies of our ball…rooms。 In a land where there is boundless liberty
of divorce； wedlock is described as the indissoluble compact。 〃A youth
and maiden meeting by chance； or brought together by artifice； exchange
glances； reciprocate civilities； go home； and dream of each other。 Such；〃
says Rasselas； 〃is the common process of marriage。〃 Such it may have
been； and may still be； in London； but assuredly not at Cairo。 A writer who
was guilty of such improprieties had little right to blame the poet who
made Hector quote Aristotle； and represented Julio Romano as flourishing
in the days of the oracle of Delphi。
By such exertions as have been described； Johnson supported himself
till the year 1762。 In that year a great change in his circumstances took
place。 He had from a child been an enemy of the reigning dynasty。 His
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Jacobite prejudices had been exhibited with little disguise both in his
works and in his conversation。 Even in his massy and elaborate Dictionary；
he had； with a strange want of taste and judgment； inserted bitter and
contumelious reflections on the Whig party。 The excise； which was a
favourite resource of Whig financiers； he had designated as a hateful tax。
He had railed against the commissioners of excise in language so coarse
that they had seriously thought of prosecuting him。 He had with difficulty
been prevented from holding up the Lord Privy Seal by name as an
example of the meaning of the word 〃renegade。〃 A pension he had defined
as pay given to a state hireling to betray his country； a pensioner as a slave
of state hired by a stipend to obey a master。 It seemed unlikely that the
author of these definitions would himself be pensioned。 But that was a
time of wonders。 George the Third had ascended the throne； and had； in
the course of a few months； disgusted many of the old friends and
conciliated many of the old enemies of his house。 The city was becoming
mutinous。 Oxford was becoming loyal。 Cavendishes and Bentincks were
murmuring。 Somersets and Wyndhams were hastening to kiss hands。 The
head of the treasury was now Lord Bute； who was a Tory； and could have
no objection to Johnson's Toryism。 Bute wished to be thought a patron of
men of letters； and Johnson was one of the most eminent and one of the
most needy men of letters in Europe。 A pension of three hundred a year
was graciously offered； and with very little hesitation accepted。
This event produced a change in Johnson's whole way of life。 For the
first time since his boyhood he no longer felt the daily goad urging him to
the daily toil。 He was at liberty； after thirty years of anxiety and drudgery；
to indulge his constitutional indolence； to lie in bed till two in the
afternoon； and to sit up talking till four in the morning； without fearing
either the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer。
One laborious task indeed he had bound himself to perform。 He had
received large subscriptions for his promised edition of Shakspeare； he
had lived on those subscriptions during some years： and he could not
without disgrace omit to perform his part of the contract。 His friends
repeatedly exhorted him to make an effort； and he repeatedly resolved to
do so。 But； notwithstanding their exhortations and his resolutions； month
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
followed month； year followed year； and nothing was done。 He prayed
fervently against his idleness； he determined； as often as he received the
sacrament； that he would no longer doze away and trifle away his time；
but the spell under which he lay resisted prayer and sacrament。 His private
notes at this time are made up of self…reproaches。 〃My indolence；〃 he
wrote on Easter Eve in 1764； 〃has sunk into grosser sluggishness。 A kind
of strange oblivion has overspread me； so that I know not what has
become of the last year。〃 Easter 1765 came； and found him still in the
same state。 〃My time；〃 he wrote； 〃has been unprofitably spent； and seems
as a dream that has left nothing behind。 My memory grows confused； and
I know not how the days pass over me。〃 Happily for his honour； the charm
which held him captive was at length broken by no gentle or friendly hand。
He had been weak enough to pay serious attention to a story about a ghost
which haunted a house in Cock Lane； and had actually gone himself with
some of his friends； at one in the morning； to St John's Church；
Clerkenwell； in the hope of receiving a communication from the perturbed
spirit。 But the spirit； though adjured with all solemnity； remained
obstinately silent； and it soon appeared that a naughty girl of eleven had
been amusing herself by making fools of so many philosophers。 Churchill；
who； confidant in his powers； drunk with popularity； and burning with
party spirit； was looking for some man of established fame and Tory
politics to insult； celebrated the Cock Lane Ghost in three cantos；
nicknamed Johnson Pomposo； asked where the book was which had been
so long promised and so liberally paid for； and directly accused the great
moralist of cheating。 This terrible word proved effectual； and in October
1765 appeared； after a delay of nine years； the new edition of Shakspeare。
This publication saved Johnson's character for honesty； but added
nothing to the fame of his abilities and learning。 The preface； though it
contains some good passages； is not in his best manner。 The most valuable
notes are those in which he had an opportunity of showing how attentively
he had during many years observed human life and human nature。 The
best specimen is the note on the character of Polonius。 Nothing so good is
to be found even in Wilhelm Meister's admirable examination of Hamlet。
But here praise must end。 It would be difficult to name a more slovenly； a
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
more worthless edition of any great classic。 The reader may turn over play
after play without finding one happy conjectural emendation； or one
ingenious and satisfactory explanation of a passage which had baffled
preceding commentators。 Johnson had； in his prospectus； told the world
that he was peculiarly fitted for the task which he had undertaken； because
he had； as a lexicographer； been under the necessity of taking a wider view
of the English language than any of his predecessors。 That his knowledge
of our literature was extensive is indisputable。 But； unfortunately； he had
altogether neglected