concerningthepublicationofwhichSirJohnHawkinsguessesvaguelyandidly，insteadofhavingtakenthetroubletoinformhimselfwithauthentickprecision。NottotroublemyreaderswitharepetitionoftheKnight’sreveries，Ihavetomention，thatthelateMr。Strahantheprintertoldme，thatJohnsonwroteit，thatwiththeprofitshemightdefraytheexpenceofhismother’sfuneral，andpaysomelittledebtswhichshehadleft。HetoldSirJoshuaReynoldsthathecomposeditintheeveningsofoneweek，sentittothepressinportionsasitwaswritten，andhadneversincereaditover。Mr。Strahan，Mr。Johnston，andMr。Dodsleypurchaseditforahundredpounds，butafterwardspaidhimtwenty-
fivepoundsmore，whenitcametoasecondedition。
Voltaire’sCandide，writtentorefutethesystemofOptimism，whichithasaccomplishedwithbrilliantsuccess，iswonderfullysimilarinitsplanandconducttoJohnson’sRasselas；insomuch，thatI
haveheardJohnsonsay，thatiftheyhadnotbeenpublishedsocloselyoneaftertheotherthattherewasnottimeforimitation，itwouldhavebeeninvaintodenythattheschemeofthatwhichcamelatestwastakenfromtheother。Thoughthepropositionillustratedbyboththeseworkswasthesame，namely，thatinourpresentstatethereismoreevilthangood，theintentionofthewriterswasverydifferent。Voltaire，Iamafraid，meantonlybywantonprofanenesstoobtainasportivevictoryoverreligion，andtodiscreditthebeliefofasuperintendingProvidence；Johnsonmeant，byshewingtheunsatisfactorynatureofthingstemporal，todirectthehopesofmantothingseternal。Rasselas，aswasobservedtomebyaveryaccomplishedlady，maybeconsideredasamoreenlargedandmoredeeplyphilosophicaldiscourseinprose，upontheinterestingtruth，whichinhisVanityofHumanWisheshehadsosuccessfullyenforcedinverse。
IwouldascribetothisyearthefollowinglettertoasonofoneofhisearlyfriendsatLichfield，Mr。JosephSimpson，Barrister，andauthourofatractentitledReflectionsontheStudyoftheLaw。
’TOJOSEPHSIMPSON，ESQ。
’DEARSIR，——Yourfather’sinexorabilitynotonlygrievesbutamazesme：heisyourfather；hewasalwaysaccountedawiseman；nordoI
rememberanythingtothedisadvantageofhisgood-nature；butinhisrefusaltoassistyouthereisneithergood-nature，fatherhood，norwisdom。Itisthepracticeofgood-naturetooverlookfaultswhichhavealready，bytheconsequences，punishedthedelinquent。
Itisnaturalforafathertothinkmorefavourablythanothersofhischildren；anditisalwayswisetogiveassistancewhilealittlehelpwillpreventthenecessityofgreater。
’Ifyoumarriedimprudently，youmiscarriedatyourownhazard，atanagewhenyouhadarightofchoice。Itwouldbehardifthemanmightnotchoosehisownwife，whohasarighttopleadbeforetheJudgesofhiscountry。
’Ifyourimprudencehasendedindifficultiesandinconveniences，youareyourselftosupportthem；and，withthehelpofalittlebetterhealth，youwouldsupportthemandconquerthem。Surely，thatwantwhichaccidentandsicknessproduces，istobesupportedineveryregionofhumanity，thoughtherewereneitherfriendsnorfathersintheworld。Youhavecertainlyfromyourfatherthehighestclaimofcharity，thoughnoneofright；andthereforeI
wouldcounselyoutoomitnodecentnormanlydegreeofimportunity。Yourdebtsinthewholearenotlarge，andofthewholebutasmallpartistroublesome。Smalldebtsarelikesmallshot；theyarerattlingoneveryside，andcanscarcelybeescapedwithoutawound：greatdebtsarelikecannon；ofloudnoise，butlittledanger。Youmust，therefore，beenabledtodischargepettydebts，thatyoumayhaveleisure，withsecuritytostrugglewiththerest。Neitherthegreatnorlittledebtsdisgraceyou。Iamsureyouhavemyesteemforthecouragewithwhichyoucontractedthem，andthespiritwithwhichyouendurethem。Iwishmyesteemcouldbeofmoreuse。Ihavebeeninvited，orhaveinvitedmyself，toseveralpartsofthekingdom；andwillnotincommodemydearLucybycomingtoLichfield，whileherpresentlodgingisofanyusetoher。Ihope，inafewdays，tobeatleisure，andtomakevisits。WhitherIshallflyismatterofnoimportance。Amanunconnectedisathomeeverywhere；unlesshemaybesaidtobeathomenowhere。Iamsorry，dearSir，thatwhereyouhaveparents，amanofyourmeritsshouldnothaveanhome。IwishIcouldgiveityou。Iam，mydearSir，affectionatelyyours，’SAM。JOHNSON。’
HenowrefreshedhimselfbyanexcursiontoOxford，ofwhichthefollowingshortcharacteristicalnotice，inhisownwords，ispreserved’***isnowmakingteaforme。IhavebeeninmygowneversinceIcamehere。Itwas，atmyfirstcoming，quitenewandhandsome。
Ihaveswumthrice，whichIhaddisusedformanyyears。IhaveproposedtoVansittart，climbingoverthewall，buthehasrefusedme。AndIhaveclappedmyhandstilltheyaresore，atDr。King’sspeech。’
Hisnegroservant，FrancisBarber，havinglefthim，andbeensometimeatsea，notpressedashasbeensupposed，butwithhisownconsent，itappearsfromalettertoJohnWilkes，Esq。，fromDr。
Smollet，thathismasterkindlyinterestedhimselfinprocuringhisreleasefromastateoflifeofwhichJohnsonalwaysexpressedtheutmostabhorrence。Hesaid，’Nomanwillbeasailorwhohascontrivanceenoughtogethimselfintoajail；forbeinginashipisbeinginajail，withthechanceofbeingdrowned。’Andatanothertime，’Amaninajailhasmoreroom，betterfood，andcommonlybettercompany。’Theletterwasasfollows：——
’Chelsea，March16，1759。
’DEARSIR，Iamagainyourpetitioner，inbehalfofthatgreatCHAM
ofliterature，SamuelJohnson。Hisblackservant，whosenameisFrancisBarber，hasbeenpressedonboardtheStagFrigate，CaptainAngel，andourlexicographerisingreatdistress。Hesaystheboyisasicklylad，ofadelicateframe，andparticularlysubjecttoamaladyinhisthroat，whichrendershimveryunfitforhisMajesty’sservice。YouknowwhatmannerofanimositythesaidJohnsonhasagainstyou；andIdaresayyoudesirenootheropportunityofresentingitthanthatoflayinghimunderanobligation。Hewashumbleenoughtodesiremyassistanceonthisoccasion，thoughheandIwerenevercater-cousins；andIgavehimtounderstandthatIwouldmakeapplicationtomyfriendMr。
Wilkes，who，perhaps，byhisinterestwithDr。HayandMr。Elliot，mightbeabletoprocurethedischargeofhislacquey。Itwouldbesuperfluoustosaymoreonthesubject，whichIleavetoyourownconsideration；butIcannotletslipthisopportunityofdeclaringthatIam，withthemostinviolableesteemandattachment，dearSir，youraffectionate，obliged，humbleservant，’T。SMOLLET。’
Mr。Wilkes，whouponalloccasionshasacted，asaprivategentleman，withmostpoliteliberality，appliedtohisfriendSirGeorgeHay，thenoneoftheLordsCommissionersoftheAdmiralty；
andFrancisBarberwasdischarged，ashehastoldme，withoutanywishofhisown。HefoundhisoldmasterinChambersintheInnerTemple，andreturnedtohisservice。
1760：AETAT。51。]——ItakethisopportunitytorelatethemannerinwhichanacquaintancefirstcommencedbetweenDr。JohnsonandMr。
Murphy。DuringthepublicationofTheGray’s-InnJournal，aperiodicalpaperwhichwassuccessfullycarriedonbyMr。Murphyalone，whenaveryyoungman，hehappenedtobeinthecountrywithMr。Foote；andhavingmentionedthathewasobligedtogotoLondoninordertogetreadyforthepressoneofthenumbersofthatJournal，Footesaidtohim，’Youneednotgoonthataccount。HereisaFrenchmagazine，inwhichyouwillfindaveryprettyorientaltale；translatethat，andsendittoyourprinter。’Mr。Murphyhavingreadthetale，washighlypleasedwithit，andfollowedFoote’sadvice。Whenhereturnedtotown，thistalewaspointedouttohiminTheRambler，fromwhenceithadbeentranslatedintotheFrenchmagazine。Mr。MurphythenwaiteduponJohnson，toexplainthiscuriousincident。Histalents，literature，andgentleman-likemanners，weresoonperceivedbyJohnson，andafriendshipwasformedwhichwasneverbroken。
1762：AETAT。53。]——AladyhavingatthistimesolicitedhimtoobtaintheArchbishopofCanterbury’spatronagetohavehersonsenttotheUniversity，oneofthosesolicitationswhicharetoofrequent，wherepeople，anxiousforaparticularobject，donotconsiderpropriety，ortheopportunitywhichthepersonswhomtheysolicithavetoassistthem，hewrotetoherthefollowinganswer，withacopyofwhichIamfavouredbytheReverendDr。Farmer，MasterofEmanuelCollege，Cambridge。
’MADAM，——Ihopeyouwillbelievethatmydelayinansweringyourlettercouldproceedonlyfrommyunwillingnesstodestroyanyhopethatyouhadformed。Hopeisitselfaspeciesofhappiness，and，perhaps，thechiefhappinesswhichthisworldaffords：but，likeallotherpleasuresimmoderatelyenjoyed，theexcessesofhopemustbeexpiatedbypain；andexpectationsimproperlyindulged，mustendindisappointment。Ifitbeasked，whatistheimproperexpectationwhichitisdangeroustoindulge，experiencewillquicklyanswer，thatitissuchexpectationasisdictatednotbyreason，butbydesire；expectationraised，notbythecommonoccurrencesoflife，butbythewantsoftheexpectant；anexpectationthatrequiresthecommoncourseofthingstobechanged，andthegeneralrulesofactiontobebroken。
’Whenyoumadeyourrequesttome，youshouldhaveconsidered，Madam，whatyouwereasking。Youaskmetosolicitagreatman，towhomIneverspoke，forayoungpersonwhomIhadneverseen，uponasuppositionwhichIhadnomeansofknowingtobetrue。Thereisnoreasonwhy，amongstallthegreat，IshouldchusetosupplicatetheArchbishop，norwhy，amongallthepossibleobjectsofhisbounty，theArchbishopshouldchuseyourson。Iknow，Madam，howunwillinglyconvictionisadmitted，wheninterestopposesit；butsurely，Madam，youmustallow，thatthereisnoreasonwhythatshouldbedonebyme，whicheveryothermanmaydowithequalreason，andwhich，indeednomancandoproperly，withoutsomeveryparticularrelationbothtotheArchbishopandtoyou。IfIcouldhelpyouinthisexigencebyanypropermeans，itwouldgivemepleasure；butthisproposalissoveryremotefromallusualmethods，thatIcannotcomplywithit，butattheriskofsuchanswerandsuspicionsasIbelieveyoudonotwishmetoundergo。
’Ihaveseenyoursonthismorning；heseemsaprettyyouth，andwill，perhaps，findsomebetterfriendthanIcanprocurehim；but，thoughheshouldatlastmisstheUniversity，hemaystillbewise，useful，andhappy。Iam，Madam，yourmosthumbleservant，’June8，1762。’
’SAM。JOHNSON。’
’TOMR。JOSEPHBARETTI，ATMILAN。
’London，July20，1762。
’SIR，Howeverjustlyyoumayaccusemeforwantofpunctualityincorrespondence，Iamnotsofarlostinnegligenceastoomittheopportunityofwritingtoyou，whichMr。Beauclerk’spassagethroughMilanaffordsme。