The poem was finished, as appears by a manuscript note of the author in his own corrected copy, in 1738. While he was writing it, he lodged in an upper room of a house in Exeter ftreet, behind Exeter 'change, inhabited by one Norris, a ftay-maker; a particular which would have been hardly worth noticing, but that it, in some measure, bespeaks his circumstances at the time, and accounts for his having, more than once, mentioned in the poem, and that with feeming abhorrence, the dungeons of the Strand. It is not unlikely that his averfion to fuch an abode was increafed by the reflection on that diftrefs, which by this time had brought his wife to town, and obliged her to participate in the inconveniences of a dwelling too obfcure to invite refort, and to be a witness of the difficulties with which he was struggling.

Having completed his poem, he looked round for a bookfeller, to whom, with a likelihood of obtaining the value of it, he might treat for the fale of it. His friend Cave, in refpect of publications, was a haberdasher of fmall wares; the greatest of his undertakings being a translation of Du Halde's History of China, which was never completed.

4

Johnson thinking him a man for his purpose, made him an offer of his poem, in a letter in which, with great art, but without the least violation of truth, he conceals that himself was the author of it. The letter I here infert, as alfo another of his on the fame fubject.

• SIR,

When I took the liberty of writing to you a few days ago, I did not expect a repetition of the fame

pleasure

с

pleasure fo foon, for a pleasure I fhall always think ⚫ it to converse in any manner with an ingenious and 'candid man; but having the inclosed poem in my hands to difpofe of for the benefit of the author (of whofe abilities I fhall fay nothing fince I fend you his performance,) I believed I could not procure more advantageous terms from any person than from you, who have so much distinguished yourself by your generous encouragement of poetry, and whofe judgment of that art, nothing but your commendation of my trifle can give me any occafion to call in question. I do not doubt but you will look over

< this poem with another eye, and reward it in a different manner from a mercenary bookfeller, who counts the lines he is to purchase, and considers nothing but the bulk. I cannot help taking notice that, befides what the author may hope for on account of his abilities, he has likewife another claim to your ⚫ regard, as he lies at present under very disadvantageous circumstances of fortune. I beg, therefore, that < you will favour me with a letter to-morrow, that I may know what you can afford to allow him, that he may either part with it to you, or find out (which I do not expect) some other way more to his fatisfac<tion.

с

'I have only to add, that I am fenfible I have tranfcribed it very coarfely, which, after having altered it, I was obliged to do. I will, if you please

to tranfmit the sheets from the press, correct it for 'you, and will take the trouble of altering any ftroke of fatire which you may diflike.

By exerting on this occafion your ufual generofity, you will not only encourage learning and relieve

'diftrefs,

diftrefs, but (though it be in comparison of the other • motives of very fmall account) oblige in a very fenfible manner, Sir,

< SIR,

SAM. JOHNSON.'

Monday, No. 6, Castle-street.

you

I am to return you thanks for the present you were fo kind to fend me, and to intreat that will be pleased to inform me, by the Penny-Post,

whether you refolve to print the poem. If you

please to fend it me by the poft, with a note to Dodley, I will go and read the lines to him, that we may have his confent to put his name in the title page. As to the printing, if it can be fet immediately about, I will be fo much the author's friend, as not to content myfelf with mere folicitations in his favour. I propofe, if my calculation be near the truth, to engage for the reimbursement of all that you shall lofe by an impreffion of 500, pro

vided, as you very generously propofe, that the profit, if any, be fet aside for the author's ufe, excepting the prefent you made, which, if he be a gainer, it is fit he fhould repay. I beg you will let one of your ⚫ fervants write an exact account of the expence of fuch an impreffion, and fend it with the poem, that I may know what I engage for. I am very fenfible, from your generofity on this occafion, of your regard to learning, even in its unhappiest ftate; and cannot but think fuch a temper deferving of the gratitude of thofe, who fuffer fo often from a contrary difpo⚫fition. 'I am, Sir,

Your most humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.'

Johnfon

Johnson and Dodfley were foon agreed; the price afked by the one and affented to by the other, was, as I have been informed, fifty pounds; a reward for his labour and ingenuity, that induced Johnson ever after to call Dodsley his patron. It is pretty certain that in his offer of the poem to Dodfley, Cave ftipulated for the printing of it, for it came abroad in the year abovementioned with the name of Cave as the printer, though without that of the author. Lord Lyttelton, the inftant it was published, carried it in rapture to Mr. Pope, who, having read it, commended it highly, and was very importunate with DodЛley to know the author's name; but, that being a fecret the latter was bound not to reveal, Pope affured him that he could not long be unknown, recollecting, perhaps, a paffage recorded of Milton, who, feeing a beautiful young lady pafs him whom he never had feen before, turned to look at her, and faid, Whoever thou art, thou canft not long be concealed.'

The topics of this fpirited poem, fo far as it respects this country, or the time when it was written, are evidently drawn from thofe weekly publications, which, to answer the view of a malevolent faction, first created, and for fome years fupported, a diftinction between the interests of the government and the people, under the feveral denominations of the court and the country parties: these publications were carried on under the direction of men, profeffing themselves to be whigs and friends of the people, in a paper intitled, 'The Country Journal or the Craftsman,' now defervedly forgotten, the end whereof was, to blow the flame of national difcontent, to delude the honeft and well-meaning people of this country into a belief that the minifter

Was

was its greatest enemy, and that his opponents, only, meant its welfare. To this end it was neceffary to furnifh them with fubjects of complaint, and these were plentifully diffeminated among them; the chief of them were, that fcience was unrewarded, and the arts neglected; that the objects of our politics were peace and the extenfion of commerce; that the wealth of the nation was unequally divided, for that, while fome were poor, others were able to raise palaces and purchafe manors; that restraints were laid on the stage; that the land was plundered, and the nation cheated; our fenators hirelings, and our nobility venal; and, laftly, that in his vifits to his native country, the king drained this of its wealth.

That Johnfon has adopted thefe vulgar complaints, his poem muft witnefs. I fhall not take upon me to demonftrate the fallacy of moft of the charges contained in it, nor animadvert on the wickednefs of those, who, to effect their own ambitious defigns, fcruple not to oppose the best endeavours of the perfon in power, nor fhall I mark the folly of those who fuffer themselves to be fo deluded: the fucceffion of knave to knave, and fool to fool, is hereditary and interminable our fathers were deceived by the pretenfions of falfe patriots; the delufion ftopped not with their children, nor will it with our's.

The publication of this poem was of little advantage to Johnson, other than the relief of his immediate wants it procured him fame, but no patronage. He was therefore difpofed to embrace any other prospect of advantage that might offer; for, a fhort time after, viz. in Auguft 1738, hearing that the mafter