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！
old haunts with a mind full of new images and new theories。 During the
following year he employed himself in recording his adventures。 About
the beginning of 1775； his Journey to the Hebrides was published； and was；
during some weeks； the chief subject of conversation in all circles in
which any attention was paid to literature。 The book is still read with
pleasure。 The narrative is entertaining； the speculations； whether sound or
unsound； are always ingenious； and the style； though too stiff and
pompous； is somewhat easier and more graceful than that of his early
writings。 His prejudice against the Scotch had at length become little more
than matter of jest； and whatever remained of the old feeling had been
effectually removed by the kind and respectful hospitality with which he
had been received in every part of Scotland。 It was； of course； not to be
expected that an Oxonian Tory should praise the Presbyterian polity and
ritual； or that an eye accustomed to the hedgerows and parks of England
should not be struck by the bareness of Berwickshire and East Lothian。
But even in censure Johnson's tone is not unfriendly。 The most enlightened
Scotchmen； with Lord Mansfield at their head； were well pleased。 But
some foolish and ignorant Scotchmen were moved to anger by a little
unpalatable truth which was mingled with much eulogy； and assailed him
whom they chose to consider as the enemy of their country with libels
much more dishonourable to their country than anything that he had ever
said or written。 They published paragraphs in the newspapers； articles in
the magazines； sixpenny pamphlets； five…shilling books。 One scribbler
abused Johnson for being blear…eyed； another for being a pensioner； a third
informed the world that one of the Doctor's uncles had been convicted of
felony in Scotland； and had found that there was in that country one tree
74
… Page 75…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
capable of supporting the weight of an Englishman。 Macpherson； whose
Fingal had been proved in the Journey to be an impudent forgery；
threatened to take vengeance with a cane。 The only effect of this threat
was that Johnson reiterated the charge of forgery in the most
contemptuous terms； and walked about； during some time； with a cudgel；
which； if the impostor had not been too wise to encounter it； would
assuredly have descended upon him； to borrow the sublime language of
his own epic poem； 〃like a hammer on the red son of the furnace。〃
Of other assailants Johnson took no notice whatever。 He had early
resolved never to be drawn into controversy； and he adhered to his
resolution with a steadfastness which is the more extraordinary； because
he was； both intellectually and morally； of the stuff of which
controversialists are made。 In conversation； he was a singularly eager；
acute； and pertinacious disputant。 When at a loss for good reasons； he had
recourse to sophistry； and； when heated by altercation； he made unsparing
use of sarcasm and invective。 But； when he took his pen in his hand； his
whole character seemed to be changed。 A hundred bad writers
misrepresented him and reviled him； but not one of the hundred could
boast of having been thought by him worthy of a refutation； or even of a
retort。 The Kenricks； Campbells； MacNicols； and Hendersons； did their
best to annoy him； in the hope that he would give them importance by
answering them。 But the reader will in vain search his works for any
allusion to Kenrick or Campbell； to MacNicol or Henderson。 One
Scotchman； bent on vindicating the fame of Scotch learning； defied him to
the combat in a detestable Latin hexameter。
〃Maxime； si tu vis； cupio contendere tecum。〃
But Johnson took no notice of the challenge。 He had learned； both
from his own observation and from literary history； in which he was
deeply read； that the place of books in the public estimation is fixed； not
by what is written about them； but by what is written in them； and that an
author whose works are likely to live is very unwise if he stoops to
wrangle with detractors whose works are certain to die。 He always
maintained that fame was a shuttlecock which could be kept up only by
being beaten back； as well as beaten forward； and which would soon fall if
75
… Page 76…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
there were only one battledore。 No saying was oftener in his mouth than
that fine apophthegm of Bentley； that no man was ever written down but
by himself。
Unhappily； a few months after the appearance of the Journey to the
Hebrides； Johnson did what none of his envious assailants could have
done； and to a certain extent succeeded in writing himself down。 The
disputes between England and her American colonies had reached a point
at which no amicable adjustment was possible。 Civil war was evidently
impending； and the ministers seem to have thought that the eloquence of
Johnson might with advantage be employed to inflame the nation against
the opposition here； and against the rebels beyond the Atlantic。 He had
already written two or three tracts in defence of the foreign and domestic
policy of the government； and those tracts； though hardly worthy of him；
were much superior to the crowd of pamphlets which lay on the counters
of Almon and Stockdale。 But his Taxation No Tyranny was a pitiable
failure。 The very title was a silly phrase； which can have been
recommended to his choice by nothing but a jingling alliteration which he
ought to have despised。 The arguments were such as boys use in debating
societies。 The pleasantry was as awkward as the gambols of a
hippopotamus。 Even Boswell was forced to own that； in this unfortunate
piece； he could detect no trace of his master's powers。 The general opinion
was that the strong faculties which had produced the Dictionary and the
Rambler were beginning to feel the effect of time and of disease； and that
the old man would best consult his credit by writing no more。
But this was a great mistake。 Johnson had failed； not because his mind
was less vigorous than when he wrote Rasselas in the evenings of a week；
but because he had foolishly chosen； or suffered others to choose for him；
a subject such as he would at no time have been competent to treat。 He
was in no sense a statesman。 He never willingly read or thought or talked
about affairs of state。 He loved biography； literary history； the history of
manners； but political history was positively distasteful to him。 The
question at issue between the colonies and the mother country was a
question about which he had really nothing to say。 He failed； therefore； as
the greatest men must fail when they attempt to do that for which they are
76
… Page 77…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
unfit； as Burke would have failed if Burke had tried to write comedies like
those of Sheridan； as Reynolds would have failed if Reynolds had tried to
paint landscapes like those of Wilson。 Happily； Johnson soon had an
opportunity of proving most signally that his failure was not to be ascribed
to intellectual decay。
On Easter Eve 1777； some persons； deputed by a meeting which
consisted of forty of the first booksellers in London； called upon him。
Though he had some scruples about doing business at that season； he
received his visitors with much civility。 They came to inform him that a
new edition of the English poets； from Cowley downwards； was in
contemplation； and to ask him to furnish short biographical prefaces。 He
readily undertook the task； a task for which he was pre