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！
contemplation； and to ask him to furnish short biographical prefaces。 He
readily undertook the task； a task for which he was pre…eminently qualified。
His knowledge of the literary history of England since the Restoration was
unrivalled。 That knowledge he had derived partly from books； and partly
from sources which had long been closed； from old Grub Street traditions；
from the talk of forgotten poetasters and pamphleteers who had long been
lying in parish vaults； from the recollections of such men as Gilbert
Walmesley； who had conversed with the wits of Button； Cibber； who had
mutilated the plays of two generations of dramatists； Orrery； who had been
admitted to the society of Swift； and Savage； who had rendered services of
no very honourable kind to Pope。 The biographer therefore sate down to
his task with a mind full of matter。 He had at first intended to give only a
paragraph to every minor poet； and only four or five pages to the greatest
name。 But the flood of anecdote and criticism overflowed the narrow
channel。 The work； which was originally meant to consist only of a few
sheets； swelled into ten volumes； small volumes； it is true； and not closely
printed。 The first four appeared in 1779； the remaining six in 1781。
The Lives of the Poets are； on the whole； the best of Johnson's works。
The narratives are as entertaining as any novel。 The remarks on life and on
human nature are eminently shrewd and profound。 The criticisms are often
excellent； and； even when grossly and provokingly unjust； well deserve to
be studied。 For； however erroneous they may be； they are never silly。 They
are the judgments of a mind trammelled by prejudice and deficient in
sensibility； but vigorous and acute。 They therefore generally contain a
77
… Page 78…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
portion of valuable truth which deserves to be separated from the alloy；
and； at the very worst； they mean something； a praise to which much of
what is called criticism in our time has no pretensions。
Savage's Life Johnson reprinted nearly as it had appeared in 1744。
Whoever； after reading that life； will turn to the other lives will be struck
by the difference of style。 Since Johnson had been at ease in his
circumstances he had written little and had talked much。 When； therefore；
he； after the lapse of years； resumed his pen； the mannerism which he had
contracted while he was in the constant habit of elaborate composition was
less perceptible than formerly； and his diction frequently had a colloquial
ease which it had formerly wanted。 The improvement may be discerned by
a skilful critic in the Journey to the Hebrides； and in the Lives of the Poets
is so obvious that it cannot escape the notice of the most careless reader。
Among the lives the best are perhaps those of Cowley； Dryden； and
Pope。 The very worst is； beyond all doubt； that of Gray。
This great work at once became popular。 There was； indeed； much just
and much unjust censure： but even those who were loudest in blame were
attracted by the book in spite of themselves。 Malone computed the gains
of the publishers at five or six thousand pounds。 But the writer was very
poorly remunerated。 Intending at first to write very short prefaces； he had
stipulated for only two hundred guineas。 The booksellers； when they saw
how far his performance had surpassed his promise； added only another
hundred。 Indeed； Johnson； though he did not despise； or affect to despise；
money； and though his strong sense and long experience ought to have
qualified him to protect his own interests； seems to have been singularly
unskilful and unlucky in his literary bargains。 He was generally reputed
the first English writer of his time。 Yet several writers of his time sold their
copyrights for sums such as he never ventured to ask。 To give a single
instance； Robertson received four thousand five hundred pounds for the
History of Charles V。； and it is no disrespect to the memory of Robertson
to say that the History of Charles V。 is both a less valuable and a less
amusing book than the Lives of the Poets。
Johnson was now in his seventy…second year。 The infirmities of age
were coming fast upon him。 That inevitable event of which he never
78
… Page 79…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
thought without horror was brought near to him； and his whole life was
darkened by the shadow of death。 He had often to pay the cruel price of
longevity。 Every year he lost what could never be replaced。 The strange
dependents to whom he had given shelter； and to whom； in spite of their
faults； he was strongly attached by habit； dropped off one by one； and； in
the silence of his home； he regretted even the noise of their scolding
matches。 The kind and generous Thrale was no more； and it would have
been well if his wife had been laid beside him。 But she survived to be the
laughing…stock of those who had envied her； and to draw from the eyes of
the old man who had loved her beyond anything in the world tears far
more bitter than he would have shed over her grave。 With some estimable
and many agreeable qualities； she was not made to be independent。 The
control of a mind more steadfast than her own was necessary to her
respectability。 While she was restrained by her husband； a man of sense
and firmness； indulgent to her taste in trifles； but always the undisputed
master of his house； her worst offences had been impertinent jokes； white
lies； and short fits of pettishness ending in sunny good humour。 But he was
gone； and she was left an opulent widow of forty； with strong sensibility；
volatile fancy； and slender judgment。 She soon fell in love with a music…
master from Brescia； in whom nobody but herself could discover anything
to admire。 Her pride； and perhaps some better feelings； struggled hard
against this degrading passion。 But the struggle irritated her nerves； soured
her temper； and at length endangered her health。 Conscious that her choice
was one which Johnson could not approve； she became desirous to escape
from his inspection。 Her manner towards him changed。 She was
sometimes cold and sometimes petulant。 She did not conceal her joy when
he left Streatham； she never pressed him to return； and； if he came
unbidden； she received him in a manner which convinced him that he was
no longer a welcome guest。 He took the very intelligible hints which she
gave。 He read； for the last time； a chapter of the Greek testament in the
library which had been formed by himself。 In a solemn and tender prayer
he commended the house and its inmates to the Divine protection； and；
with emotions which choked his voice and convulsed his powerful frame；
left for ever that beloved home for the gloomy and desolate house behind
79
… Page 80…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Fleet Street； where the few and evil days which still remained to him were
to run out。 Here； in June 1783； he had a paralytic stroke； from which；
however； he recovered； and which does not appear to have at all impaired
his intellectual faculties。 But other maladies came thick upon him。 His
asthma tormented him day and night。 Dropsical symptoms made their
appearance。 While sinking under a complication of diseases； he heard that
the woman whose friendship had been the chief happiness of sixteen years
of his life had married an Italian fiddler； that all London was crying shame
upon her； and that the newspapers and magazines were filled with
allusions to the Ephesian matron； and the two pictures in Hamlet。 He
vehemently said that he would try to forget her existence。 He never uttered
her name。 Every memorial of her which met his eye he flung into the fire。
She meanwhile fled from the laughter and hisses of her countrymen and
countrywomen to a land where she was unknown； hastened across Mount
Cenis； and learned； while passing a merry Christmas of concerts and
lemonade parties at Milan； that the