272 Anecdotes.
��decide T ; the booksellers perhaps did not put Churchill on their list. I know Mr. Johnson was exceedingly zealous to declare how very little he had to do with the selection 2 . Churchill's works too might possibly be rejected by him upon a higher principle ; the highest indeed, if he was inspired by the same laudable motive which made him reject every authority for a word in his dictionary that could only be gleaned from writers dangerous to religion or morality 3 * I would not (said he) send people to look for words in a book, that by such a casual seizure of the mind might chance to mislead it for ever.' In consequence of this delicacy, Mrs. Montague 4 once observed, That were an angel to give the imprimatur , Dr. Johnson's works were among those very few which would not be lessened by a line. That such praise from such a lady should delight him, is not strange ; insensibility in a case like that, must have been the result alone of arrogance acting on stupidity. Mr. Johnson had indeed no dislike to the commendations which he knew he deserved : 'What signifies protesting so against flattery (would he cry)! when a person speaks well of one, it must be either true or false, you know ; if true, let us rejoice in his good opinion ; if he lies, it is a proof at least that he loves more to please me, than to sit silent when he need say nothing V
1 Nevertheless she has decided it 419, n. i ; iii. i, n. 2.
by her certainty. 3 Boswell makes the same state-
2 ' I was somewhat disappointed ment, borrowing it, no doubt, from in finding that the edition of The Mrs. Piozzi. Ib. i. 189. I have there English Poets for which he was to shown that it is not true.
write Prefaces and Lives, was not an 4 Post, p. 287. undertaking directed by him ; but 5 ' JOHNSON. " Nay, Sir, flattery that he was to furnish a Preface and pleases very generally. In the first Life to any poet the booksellers place, the flatterer may think what pleased. I asked him if he would he says to be true : but, in the second do this to any dunce's works, if they place, whether he thinks so or not, should ask him. JOHNSON. "Yes, he certainly thinks those whom he Sir; and say he was a dunce.'" flatters of consequence enough to be Life, iii. 137. Johnson was charged flattered."' Life, ii. 364. with not including Goldsmith in the ' Tu m' adult, ma tu mi piaci (you Lives, whereas his exclusion was due flatter me but you please me) is a to the bookseller who had the copy- very true Italian saying, which self- right of She Stoops to Conquer. love, if sincere, would confess.' Ches- Ib. iii. 100, n. i. For Churchill's terfield's Misc. Works, iv. 366. attack on Johnson see ib. i. 319, 406,
That
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