to feel the force of this consideration, yet love itself sweetens every duty to his mind; and he thinks there is no absurdity in his feeling the love of GOD as the grand commanding principle of his life.’ Essays on several religious Subjects, &c., by Joseph Milner, A.M., Master of the Grammar School of Kingston upon-Hull, 1789, p. 11. BOSWELL. Southey (Life of Wesley, i. 41), mentioning the names given at Oxford to Wesley and his followers, continues:—‘One person with less irreverence and more learning observed, in reference to their methodical manner of life, that a new sect of Methodists was sprung up, alluding to the ancient school of physicians known by that name.’ Wesley, in 1744, wrote The Humble Address to the King of the Societies in derision called Methodists. Journal, i. 437. He often speaks of ‘the people called Methodists,’ but sometimes he uses the term without any qualification. Mrs. Thrale, in 1780, wrote to Johnson:—‘Methodist is considered always a term of reproach, I trust, because I never yet did hear that any one person called himself a Methodist.’ Piozzi Letters, ii. 119.
[1349] Wesley said:—‘We should constantly use the most common, little, easy words (so they are pure and proper) which our language affords. When first I talked at Oxford to plain people in the Castle [the prison] or the town, I observed they gaped and stared. This quickly obliged me to alter my style, and adopt the language of those I spoke to; and yet there is a dignity in their simplicity, which is not disagreeable to those of the highest rank.’ Southey’s Wesley, i. 431. See post, 1770, in Dr. Maxwell’s Collectanea, Oct. 12, 1779, Aug. 30, 1780, and Boswell’s Hebrides, Nov. 10, 1773.
[1350] In the original, struck.
[1351] Epigram, Lib. ii. ‘In Elizabeth. Angliae Reg.’ MALONE.
[1352] See Boswell’s Hebrides, Aug. 23.
[1353] Virgil, Eclogues, i. 5. Johnson, when a boy, turned the line thus:—‘And the wood rings with Amarillis’ name.’ Ante, p. 51.
[1354] Boswell said of Paoli’s talk about great men:—‘I regret that the fire with which he spoke upon such occasions so dazzled me, that I could not recollect his sayings, so as to write them down when I retired from his presence.’ Corsica, p. 197.
[1355] More passages than one in Boswell’s Letters to Temple shew this absence of relish. Thus in 1775 he writes:—‘I perceive some dawnings of taste for the country’ (p. 216); and again:—‘I will force a taste for natural beauties’ (p. 219).
[1356] Milton’s L’Allegro, 1. 118.
[1357] See post, April 2, 1775, and April 17, 1778.
[1358] My friend Sir Michael Le Fleming. This gentleman, with all his experience of sprightly and elegant life, inherits, with the beautiful family Domain, no inconsiderable share of that love of literature, which distinguished his venerable grandfather, the Bishop of Carlisle. He one day observed to me, of Dr. Johnson, in a felicity of phrase, ‘There is a blunt dignity about him on every occasion.’ BOSWELL.
[1359] Wordsworth’s lines to the Baronet’s daughter, Lady Fleming, might be applied to the father:—
‘Lives there a man whose sole delights
Are trivial pomp and city noise,
Hardening a heart that loathes or slights
What every natural heart enjoys?’
Wordsworth’s Poems, iv. 338.
[1360] Afterwards Lord Stowell. He was a member of Doctors’ Commons, the college of Civilians in London, who practised in the Ecclesiastical Courts and the Court of the Admiralty. See Boswell’s Hebrides, Aug. 14, 1773.
[1361] He repeated this advice on the death of Boswell’s father, post, Sept. 7, 1782.
[1362] Johnson (Works, ix. 159) describes ‘the sullen dignity of the old castle.’ See also Boswell’s Hebrides, Nov. 4. 1773.
[1363] Probably Burke’s Vindication of Natural Society, published in 1756 when Burke was twenty-six.
[1364] See ante, p. 421.
[1365] Boswell wrote to Temple on July 28, 1763:—‘My departure fills me with a kind of gloom that quite overshadows my mind. I could almost weep to think of leaving dear London, and the calm retirement of the Inner Temple. This is very effeminate and very young, but I cannot help it.’ Letters of Boswell, p. 46.
[1366] Mrs. Piozzi says (Anec. p. 297) that ‘Johnson’s eyes were so wild, so piercing, and at times so fierce, that fear was, I believe, the first emotion in the hearts of all his beholders.’
[1367] Johnson was, in fact, the editor of this work, as appears from a letter of Mr. T. Davies to the Rev. Edm. Bettesworth:—‘Reverend Sir,—I take the liberty to send you Roger Ascham’s works in English. Though Mr. Bennet’s name is in the title, the editor was in reality Mr. Johnson, the author of the Rambler, who wrote the life of the author, and added several notes. Mr. Johnson gave it to Mr. Bennet, for his advantage,’ &c.—CROKER. Very likely Davies exaggerated Johnson’s share in the book. Bennet’s edition was published, not in 1763, but in 1761.
[1368] ‘Lord Sheffield describes the change in Gibbon’s opinions caused by the reign of terror:—‘He became a warm and zealous advocate for every sort of old establishment. I recollect in a circle where French affairs were the topic and some Portuguese present, he, seemingly with seriousness, argued in favour of the Inquisition at Lisbon, and said he would not, at the present moment, give up even that old establishment.’ Gibbons’s Misc. Works, i. 328. One of Gibbon’s correspondents told him in 1792, that the Wealth of Nations had been condemned by the Inquisition on account of ‘the lowness of its style and the looseness of the morals which it inculcates.’ Ib. ii. 479. See also post, May 7, 1773.
[1369] Johnson wrote on Aug. 17, 1773:—‘This morning I saw at breakfast Dr. Blacklock, the blind poet, who does not remember to have seen light, and is read to by a poor scholar in Latin, Greek, and French. He was originally a poor scholar himself. I looked on him with reverence.’ Piozzi Letters, i. 110. See also Boswell’s Hebrides, Aug. 17, 1773. Spence published an Account of Blacklock, in which he meanly omitted any mention of Hume’s great generosity to the blind poet. J. H. Burton’s Hume, i. 392. Hume asked Blacklock whether he connected colour and sound. ‘He answered, that as he met so often with the terms expressing colours, he had formed some false associations, but that they were of the intellectual kind. The illumination of the sun, for instance, he supposed to resemble the presence of a friend.’ Ib. p. 389.
[1370] They left London early and yet they travelled only 51 miles that day. The whole distance to Harwich is 71 miles. Paterson’s Itinerary, i. 323.
[1371] Mackintosh (Life, ii. 162) writing of the time of William III, says that ‘torture was legal in Scotland, and familiar in every country of Europe but England. Was there a single writer at that time who had objected to torture? I think not.’ In the Gent. Mag. for 1742 (p. 660) it is stated that ‘the King of Prussia has forbid the use of torture in his dominions.’ In 1747 (p. 298) we read that Dr. Blackwell, an English physician, had been put to the torture in Sweden. Montesquieu in the Esprit des Lois, vi. 17, published in 1748, writing of ‘la question ou torture centre les criminels,’ says:—‘Nous voyons aujourd’hui une nation très-bien policée [la nation anglaise] la rejeter sans inconvénient. Elle n’est donc pas nécessaire
