��books, and that the children never read them.' Mrs. Barbauld however had his best praise, and deserved it ; no man was more struck than Mr. Johnson with voluntary descent from possible splendour to painful duty x .
At eight years old he went to school, for his health would not permit him to be sent sooner 2 ; and at the age of ten years his mind was disturbed by scruples of infidelity, which preyed upon his spirits, and made him very uneasy ; the more so, as he revealed his uneasiness to no one, being naturally (as he said) 'of a sullen temper and reserved disposition.' He searched, however, diligently but fruitlessly, for evidences of the truth of revelation ; and at length recollecting a book he had once seen in his father's shop, intitled, De Veritate Religionis, &c. he began to think himself highly culpable for neglecting such a means of informa tion, and took himself severely to task for this sin, adding many acts of voluntary, and to others unknown, penance. The first opportunity which offered (of course) he seized the book with avidity ; but on examination, not finding himself scholar enough to peruse its contents, set his heart at rest ; and, not thinking to enquire whether there were any English books written on the subject, followed his usual amusements, and considered his
time or other, write a little Story bery's hardly deigned to reach them
Book in the style of these. I shall off an old exploded corner of a shelf,
be happy to succeed, for he who when Mary asked for them. Mrs.
pleases children will be remembered Barbauld's and Mrs. Trimmer's non-
by men.' Sale Catalogue of the sense lay in piles about. . . Science
Auchinleck Library, Sotheby & Co., has succeeded to poetry no less in
June 23, 1893, Lot 91. the little walks of children than with
1 'A voluntary descent from the men.' Lamb's Letters^ ed. 1888, i.
dignity of science is perhaps the 189.
hardest lesson that humility can 2 By the spring of 1719, when he teach.' Johnson's Works, viii. 385. was nine and a half, he had been in See also ib. vii. 99, 1 10 for ' a kind of the Grammar School ' two years and humble dignity ' which he praises in perhaps four months.' Ante, p. 138. Milton. For his abuse of Mrs. Bar- Before he went to this school he had bauld see Life, ii. 408. been under Tom Brown, who ' pub- Lamb wrote on Oct. 23, 1802: lished a spelling-book and dedicated ' Mrs. Barbauld's stuff has ban- it to the Universe,' and earlier still ished all the old classics of the he had gone to Dame Oliver's nursery ; and the shopman at New- school. Life, i. 43.
conscience
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