is a fhame to be concerned at the removal of fuch a trivial animal as I am. The morning after my exit, the fun will rife as bright as ever, the flowers fmell as fweet, the plants fpring as green, the world will proceed in its old course, people will laugh as heartily, and marry as fat as they used to do. "The memory of man (as it is elegantly expreffed in the book of Wisdom) paffeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but one day." There are reafons enough, in the fourth chapter of the fame book, to make any young man contented with the prospect of death. "For honourable age is not that which ftandeth in length of time, or is measured by the number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair to men, and an unfpotted life is old age. He was taken away fpeedily, left wickednefs should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his foul," &c. I am yours, &c. Account of Dr. Samuel Johnson, by Mr. Baker. HIS excellent writer, who is no lefs THIS the glory of the prefent age and na tion than he will be the admiration of all fucceeding ones, was the fon of a book feller in Litchfield, in the county of Warwick. He was entered of Pembroke College, Oxford, on the 31 of October, 1728, but left the University without taking any degree. On his return to his native county, he appears to have devoted his attention to the education of youth; and Mr. Davies, in his life of Garrick, fixes the beginning of the year 1735 as the period when he undertook, as a private tutor, to inftru&t Mr. Garrick and fome other youths in the Belles Lettres. This mode of inftruction, however, could not have lafted long; for, in the fucceeding year, 1736, we find him advertiting to board and teach young gentlemen in general the Latin and Greek languages at Edial near Litchfield. Yet his laft fcheme perhaps not answering his expectation, be left the country in March 1737, and what will be thought remarkable, in company with Mr. Garrick, who at the fame time first launched into active life. At London again our author appears to have met with difappointments, which difgutted him with the town; for in August 1737, we find him defirous of returning again into his native county to take upon himfelf the office of matter of a charity fchool in his neighbourhood, then va cant, the filary of which was fixty pounds a year. But the ftatutes of the fchool reNOTE. *A mistake for "Stafford." quiring the perfon who fhould be elected to be a master of arts, this attempt feems to have been frustrated. Having conceiv ed the defign of one of the nobleft, and most useful, though at the fame time the nost laborious works that could be poffbly undertaken, viz. a complete Grammar and Dictionary of our hitherto unfettled language, he drew up a plan of the faid defign, in a letter to the right bon. the earl of Chesterfield, which being published, gave the ftrongest proof, in its own compofition, how great a degree of grammatical perfection and claffical elegance the English tongue was capable of being brought to. The execution of this plan coft him the labour of many years; but the manner in which it was at laft executed made ample amends for all the expectations of the public in regard to it for so long a time; and the honours paid him on the occafion of its publication by feveral of the foreign academies, parti-' Cularly by the Academia della Crufca, leave all encomium on the work in this place entirely fuperfluous. During fome intervals of recels, neceffary to the fatigue of this ftupendous undertaking, Mr. Johnfon published many other pieces, which are moft truly capital in their kind; among which the Rambler, a feries of periodical effays, which came out twice a week for two years fucceffively, ftood in the foremost rank. In the courfe of fa great a number of thefe papers as this long period demanded, thofe which the undertaker of them was favoured with by others were inconfiderable; and yet, on the whole, the product of this fingle genius, thus perpetually employed, proved at leaft equal, if not fuperior, to that of the club of firit-rate wits, who were concerned in thofe celebrated works the Spectator and Tatier. Dr. Johnfon's ftyle in profe is nervous and claffically correct; in verse his numbers are harmonious and muficat, yet bold and poignant, and, on the whole, approach nearer to Mr. Pope's manner of verification than that of any other writer; and though he has favoured 'the world with but little in abfolute verfe (for all his profe is poetry), yet that little, like diamonds of the first water, will ever be held in the highest eftimation, whilft gems of larger bulk, with lefs intrinfic worth, are fcarcely looked upon. When Mr. Pope had read his London, and received no fatisfactory answer to repeated enquiries concerning its author, his obfervation was, " It cannot be long before my curiofity will be gratified; the writer of this poem will foon be deterre ; In hort while the name of Juvenal fhall be remembered, this gentleman's improv ed ed imitations of him, in his two fatires, intituled London and The Vanity of Human Wishes, must be read with delight. His imagination is amazingly extensive, and his knowledge of men and manners unbounded, as may be plainly traced in his Eastern stories of the Rambler, in which he has not only fupported to the utmoft the fublimity of the Eaftern manner of expreffion, but even greatly excelled any of the oriental writers in the fertility of his invention, the conduct of his plots, and the justice and firength of his fentiments. His capital work of that kind, however, is a novel, intituled Raffelas, Prince of Abyffinia, too well known, and univerfally read, to need any comment here, and in which, as he does at prefent, fo he probably ever will, ftand without an equal. men. The excellence of this work is powerful enough to extinguish even the indignation which his political tenets (fo frequently incorporated with his critical remarks) may fometimes have excited in thofe of an oppofite way of thinking. Within a few years paft, the Univerfities of Oxford and Dublin have presented him with the honorary degrees of master of arts, and doctor of laws, as their teftimonials of his public merits. May it be long before he feeks the place which only can supply a reward adequate to his private virtues! A Letter from a Printer in love, to his A FTER having taken a critical review of your perfon, I really think that nature has given in the very correct edition of female beauty: you want no fupplements from art, to enlarge the catalogue of your charms, The appendix of paint could add no allurement to your face. You have made fuch an impreffion upon my heart, without any decorations and illuminations, that the flamp of love upon it can never be erafed. Most ardently do I wish to have fo fine an original in my poffeffion, that I may multiply copies from it, and increase the family of the types. Our author, indeed, was formed to sustain the character of an exalted moralift; and never was known to defcend from himself till he became a political writer. When talents defigned for the fupport of religion and truth are prostituted to the defence of royal and minifterial errors, who is not ready to exclaim with Pifto!Then did fun on dunghill fhine! Dr. Johnson has written only one dramatic piece, the fuccefs of which was not equal to its merit, owing entirely to his having too ftrictly adhered to the Arif totelian rules of the drama to render his piece agreeable to the tafte of our prefent theatrical audiences, who look for little more than plot and incident, without payment, ing any great regard either to character, language, or fentiment; it was performed at Drury-lane Theatre, and is intitled, Irene. Trag. 8vo. 1749. It would however be the highest injuf tice, after bestowing thefe undeniable encomiuma on this genius, were I not to obferve, that nothing but that genius can poffibly exceed the extent of his erudition, and it would be adding a greater injury to his ftill more valuable qualities, were we to ftop here, fiace, together with the ableft head, he feems poffeted of the very best heart at prefent exifting. Every line, every fentiment, that iffues from his pen, tends to the great centre of all his views, the promotion of virtue, religion, and humanity; nor are his actions lefs pointed towards the fame great end. Be. nevolence, charity, and piety are the moft friking features in his character; and while his writings point out to us what a good man ought to be, his own conduct fets us an example of what he is. His laft undertaking, The Lives of the Poets, would alone have been fufficient to immortalize his name among his country I hope you will take this preface in good part; were I to write a volume in your praife, I could not fay more to the purpofe. Every page would be an addition indeed, but it could not be an improve I long--Oh! how I long to have you with me in Sheets; but here-as in delicacy bound-I think it highly proper to make- ~~~ a full flop. Worley Caufe, for Criminal Conversation. THE the celebrated caufe, between $r Richard Worfley, Bart. plaintiff, and captain Maurice George Bliflet, of the Hampfhire militia, defendant, was tried in the court of King's Bench, before Lord Chief Juftice Mansfield and a fpecial jury. The plaintiff's cafe, as opened by the Attorney General, ftated that Mr. Bliffet, in violation of every law of hofpitality and friendfhip, had feduced the wife of Sir Richard from her conjugal duties, on the 19th of November laft, and now lived with her in open adultery. In proof of this, he called in feveral of Sir Richard Worley's domef tics, to prove the intimacy that fubfifted between the parties; and the abfence of lady Worfey from Sir Richard's lodgings at Lewes, till four o'clock one morning, when the and the captain spent the even ing together at another houfe, fran I judge, by whom he was juftified in refufing to answer this question." On being asked, whether he had not once fome extraordinary conversation with Sir Richard about her? he replied, that one morning, on lady W.'s paffing the window, Sir Richard faid to him," There, Deerhurft, the goes: many young men have tempted her in vain, I believe; but you are welcome to try whether you can fucceed with her." whence they went afterwards to the captain's lodgings, and thence took flight in a chaife and four for town, where arriving, the fond pair took up their abode at the Royal Hotel, Pall-mall, for near a week, cohabiting together as man and wife. From hence lady W. fent a meffage to Sir Richard, by lord Deerhurst, informing him, that "she would never live with him any more!" Further evidence (in order to aggravate the da- But this, his lordship said, he conceived mages) was called to afcertain the ample to be uttered rather jocofely than otherfortune of the defendant, which was wife. proved by his fteward to be about 8col. per ann. here the counsel for the profecus on refted, the caufe. i Mr. Bearcroft as leading advocate for the defendant, faid he was convinced that a verdict must be given for the plaintiff: and therefore the quantum of damages annexed to that verdict, was the only point on which he thould trouble the court. He then ftated that in the prefent inftance, as there was no feduction proved on the part of the plaintiff, nor any perfon of any defcription, called in fupport of the character of the lady previous to this tranfaction, it was evident that his learned brethren knew they trod on tender ground; but this he fhould not leave to be inferred from their filence; but prove by the ftrongeft evidence, that they could not call a fingle acquaintance of the family, who must not have given teltimony of her notorious infamy. In this, he faid, he was forry to add, that he fhould likewife pro duce in evidence that if Sir Richard Worf. ley was not an acceffary to his own difhonour, he did not at leaft feem very anxious to prevent it; he trufted, therefore, that if he made all this appear, of which he had not the smallest doubt, and that a verdiet fhould be given against his clients as a matter of courfe, yet it ought to be unaccompanied by thofe immenfe damages that were the object of the present profecution, but which the notorious character of the lady under confideration, he trufted would justly and legally defeat. Lord Deerhurft was now called. On being asked, whether he thought the conduct of lady W. fuch as became a lady of conjugal virtue? Said, certainly not. His lordship then ftated some circumftanees that came immediately under his own knowledge, fuch as being caught in her dreffing-room, adjoining her bed chamber, by Sir Richard, at four o'clock in the morning, on the Ifle of Wight; his meeting her on the road, as he went, at Kingflon and Godalmin, in her way to Portsmouth, alone, and fleeping in the fame house. On being asked, whether in the fame bed? His lordship applied to the To prevent any idea being formed in the minds of the public, that lord Deerhurft of his own accord betrayed the private converfation between him and Sir Richard Worfley, it is neceffary for us to ftate, and it appeared fo to the jury, that his lordthip feemed peculiarly distressed at the fituation in which he flood as an evidence on this occafion, and that his only motive for giving fo full a teftimony to the fair-one's guilt, was in confequence of a particular requet! from the lady herself, that he thould do fo. Lord Peterborough fpoke to the levity, and infidelity of lady W.'s conduct as ap peared to him; as did a Mr. Bourchier Smith.-The marquis of Graham was likewise examined to the same points, and further preffed to declare whether be had not fome particular reafon for fuppofing lady W. being il during his excurfion to the Ifle of Wight, but his lordship very modeftly and fenfibly avoided replying tó the question. The hon. Charles Wyndham, in addition to what the other gallants had flated, proved, that her ladyflip had taken her wedding gold ring from her finger and put it upon his, fome little time before he went abroad. Dr. Ofborne was called upon to prove her lady fhip's indifpofition: he said that concerning himself, and not being obliged to reveal a profeffional fecret, he had writ ten to lady W. on being fubpoenaed, and defired to know whether he had any objection to his keeping the matter fecret ; to which he received an answer infifting on his declaring it, which he therefore now did, in as delicate a manner as poffible. Captain Bliffet's landlord from Lewes, who proved his lodger's elopement from thence with lady W. threw the Court of King's Bench into a univerfal roar of laughter by a very natural trait: when the lady had been let in at the window, the captain knocked at his landlord's chamber door, in order to light his candle; which being done, each returned to their feveral rooms: but the latter afterwards hearing a confufed noife in the for mer's mer's apartment, and ignorant of the real caufe, in the fimplicity of his heart faid, be went out, in his thirt, and in his turn, knocked at the captain's room, and afked him whether he wanted any affiftance ?? Two affidavits were also read, of a wo man who keeps the Cold Bath at Maid. fone, ftating, that one day in September laft, lady W. came there to bathe, accompanied by Sir Richard and captain Bilet that foon after she saw the latter looking in at the window, which he could not have reached without help; and that fhe heard Sir Richard call out to lady W. "Seymour, Bliffet is looking at you!" That when lady W. was dreffed and gone out, the found the two gentlemen; that they all departed together laughing, and femingly in perfect good humour with each other. caught their heroifm and their virtue. The Peer, on the contrary, brought up a modern man of fashion, exhibits all the flimfinéfs, apathy, and diffipation of the character. Lady Bell Bloomer, a young widow of beauty and spirit, is equally the object with Fitzherbert's two relations. Beauchamp, at once fpirited and modeft, never prefumes to breathe his paffion to the fair infpirer of it; whilft Sparkle pays her thofe confident attentions, which How from vanity and self-complacence. This part of the plot opens at the moment, in which Beauchamp is going to leave England, poffeffed of a commiffion given him by Fitzherbert, but for which he believes himfelf indebted to lord Sparkle, who affects the patron. Sparkle not being able as he complains to make lady Bell treat his paffion feriously, exacts of Beauchamp, that he shall endeavour to difcover what her ladyfhip's fentiments really are, of which, however, he expreffes very little doubt. Beauchamp, overpowered with a fenfe of obligation, is impelled by it to accept the office though reluctantly. This occafions an interefting fcene between him and the lady, in which it is difcovered, that her private fentiments are in Beauchamp's favour. The young foldier betrayed by his heart, pleads his own paffion; but reflecting on the difhonefty of fuch a conduct, ftarts from his knees, and tells the disappointed fair one, that it was his friend's paffion he had been fo fuccefs. fully pleading. The lady half in pique, and half hurried away by her own im pulfes, tells him that Sparkle is not the man who has touched her heart; yet that there is fuch a man, and invites him to her roate in the evening, when she promises he hall fee her in the prefence of the man her heart prefers! Sparkle," when informed of this, feels the strongest conviction, that he is the man meant, as he had like wife an invitation to the route, and goes accordingly. The under plot, in which Fitzherbert governs, is formed of the adventures of a young ward of his. For this 'ward he has felected a lover, and the second at opens with his vifiting her, to acquaint ber that his friend, for whom he defigned her, is arrived in town, and that he thall immediately prefent him to her. On his exit, we find, in a foliloquy that Julia is already married, but had given a promise to he husband not to reveal that marriage, and the retires full of diftrefs. The next fcene finds Fitzherbert at Belville's, whom he had fummoned from the country with the defign of uniting him to his ward. But herean unexpected difappointment occurs. Belville acknowledges himself already 29 married, married, and in courfe cannot be united to Julia; but on further explanation it appears, that it is to Julia he was wedded, and whom he believes ftill in a convent in Paris, where he had firft feen and mar ried her. Fitzherbert conceals how much this intelligence interefts him-is ftruck with difpleasure at Julia's want of confidence in him, and meditates fome punishment -when happily a young Cornifhman is thrown in his way, who, with his fifter had been tempted to town by the elegant nothings of lord Sparkle. Thefe young people had got him the borough, and in return the Peer had been profufe in his compliments. The common place of St. James's was understood in Cornwall as ferious declarations of love and friendfhip; and on their receiving a letter from Sparkle, containing mere common place, they Immediately fet off for Berkley fquare. The lad being an oddity, his lordship introduces him as a pastime to his friends. In thefe circles, Pendragon had picked up phrafes enough to fet him up as a fine gentleman, and in this character figured away to Fitzherbert. Struck with his pertnefs. and peculiarities, Julia's guardian refolves to make him the inftrument of punishment, and introduces him to Julia, as the lover he had promifed her in the morning. Julia more distracted than before, as foon as the interview is over, refolves to leave the protection of lady Bell, that the honour of her husband may not be injured, by her eceiving the addrefes of another man, She flies accordingly, and is betrayed by her maid into the power of lord Sparkle who had conceived it would be a ftroke, to have lady Bell for a wife, and her friend for a miftrefs. He also adds ano. ther motive, which is to plague Fitzherbert, who would not open his purfe frings, to feed the extravagancies of his kinfman. Julia is found by Beauchamp, in a most important moment, at Sparkle's, and he relieves her in spite of upbraidings and menaces. The two Pendragons now vifit his lordship; Mifs, to play the part of the refentful lady, and her brother to fupport her. Sophy proves from novels, that Jord Sparkle had defigned to marry her, as his converfation to her had always been in the flyle of lord Such-a-one's, and Sir Harry's, and Sir Wilfull's, to thofe ladies whom they had married; and that therefore his courtship to her muft have been ferious. Sparkle not knowing how to dif'engage himself, as every phrafe he ufes confirms the poor girl's error, runs off, and leaves them to fettle the bufinefs as 'they can. The next fcene is at Beauchamp's lodg ings; he arrives with Julia from lord Sparkle's. She is there found by her hufband, and in circumftances to give him a reafonable foundation for jealoufy: a moft interefting fcene follows, and Belville leaves her, pronouncing an eternal adieu. The fifth aet opens at lady Bell's, whofe jealoufy is roufed by a fufpicion that Julia is wedded to Beauchamp, inftead of Belville, and the fragile tenure of female friendthip is on the point of being fnapped, when a difcovery enfues. The last scene paffes at a route, where by Fitzherbert's management, lord Sparkle is expofed in a way of the most pointed ridicule; and lady Bell gives her hand to Beauchamp! The piece was received throughout with great approbation by the audience; and continues to be a favourite amufement with the public. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Monday, February 25. THIS evening a new comedy, called Variety, was performed the firft time. Harriet Temple, the daughter of a general officer, who has loft his life in Amarica, finding herself on the death of her father, without friends in that country, or the means of fubfifting long there, returns to England, accompanied by Steady, a young volunteer who has infifted on feeing her fafe to her family, in return for the many obligations he owed her father, by whom he had been particularly patronized. He has alfo conceived an affection for her, which he fmothers, from the confideration of her fuperior rank. Mifs Temple takes refuge at the house of Mrs. Buffle, whofe hufband had ferved under her father, and on whofe death fhê had also returned to London, and lived by letting lodgings. Steady, on a vifit to his charge, is ftrongly importuned to return to his regiment, left his long abfence Should |