The poem was finished, as appears by a manufcript 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 distress, which by this time had brought his wife to town, and obliged her to participate in the inconveniences of a dwelling too obscure to invite refort, and to be a witness of the difficulties with which he was ftruggling.

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 respect of publications, was a haberdasher of fmall wares; the greatest of his undertakings being a tranflation of Du Halde's History of China, which was never completed.

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 subject.

• SIR,

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

• pleasure

pleasure so soon, for a pleasure I shall always think it to converfe 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 < whose 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 fo much distinguished yourself by your generous encouragement of poetry, and whose judgment of that art, nothing but your commenda• tion of my trifle can give me any occafion to call in queftion. 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 confiders 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 prefent under very disadvantage⚫ous circumstances of fortune. I beg, therefore, that 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) fome other way more to his fatisfac

you

⚫tion.

I have only to add, that I am fenfible I have ⚫ transcribed it very coarfely, which, after having altered it, I was obliged to do. I will, if you please to transmit the fheets from the prefs, correct it for C you, and will take the trouble of altering any stroke of fatire which you may dislike.

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

distress, but (though it be in comparison of the other ⚫ motives of very small account) oblige in a very senfible manner, Sir,

"Your very humble servant,

SIR,

SAM. JOHNSON.'

Monday, No. 6, Castle-street.

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you

I am to return you thanks for the prefent 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 post, with a note to Dodfley, 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 myself with mere folicita⚫tions in his favour. I propose, if my calculation be near the truth, to engage for the reimbursement of • all that you fhall lofe by shall lose by an impression of 500, pro'vided, as you very generously propose, that the pro

fit, if any, be fet afide for the author's ufe, excepting 'the present you made, which, if he be a gainer, it is 'fit he should repay. I beg you will let one of your ⚫ fervants write an exact account of the expence of fuch an impression, 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 state; and cannot but think fuch a temper deferving of the gratitude of those, who fuffer fo often from a contrary difpo

fition.

'I

am, Sir,

Your most humble fervant,

SAM. JOHNSON.'

Johnfon

Johnfon and Dodley 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 Dodfley 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 Dodfley 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 refpects 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, firft created, and for fome years fupported, a diftinction between the interefts of the government and the people, under the feveral denominations of the court and the country parties thefe publications were carried on under the direction of men, profeffing themfelves to be whigs and friends of the people, in a paper intitled; The Country Journal or the Craftfman,' 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 furnish 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 purchase manors; that reftraints 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 Johnson has adopted thefe vulgar complaints, his poem muft witness. I fhall not take upon me to demonftrate the fallacy of most 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 shall 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