school at Brerewood, in Staffordshire, to become his assistant. This proposition did not succeed. Mr. Budworth apprehended, that the involuntary motions, to which Johnson's nerves were subject, might make him an object of ridicule with his scholars, and, by consequence, lessen their respect for their master *. Another mode of advancing himself presented itself about this time. Mrs. Porter, the widow of a mercer in Birmingham, admired his talents. It is said that she had about eight hundred pounds ; and that sum to a person in Johnson's circumstances was an affluent fortune 2 . A marriage took place ; and, to turn his wife's money to the best advantage, he projected the scheme of an academy for education 3 . Gilbert Walmsley, at that time Register of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Bishop of Lichfield, was distinguished by his erudition and the politeness of his manners. He was the friend of Johnson, and, by his weight and influence, endeavoured to promote his interest 4 . The celebrated Garrick, whose father, Captain Garrick, lived at Lichfield, was placed in the new seminary of education by that gentleman's advice. Garrick was then about eighteen years old. An acces sion of seven or eight pupils was the most that could be obtained 5 , though notice was given by a public advertisement 6 , that at
1 Hawkins, p. 32 ; Life, iv. 407, i. 95. There is no doubt that she n. 4. had some property. Ib. n. 3.
In the same year he applied for 3 By the fineness of his language the mastership of Solihull Grammar Murphy, like Milton's biographers, School in Warwickshire. The ' Fceo- seems to shrink from stating that fees ' did not approve of him, as ' he Johnson thought of starting a board- has the character of being a very ing-school. A few lines lower down haughty, ill-natured gent, and y* he he calls it ' a seminary of educa- has such a way of distorting his tion.' Johnson defines Academy as Face (w h though he can't help) y e 'a place of education, in contradis- gent. think it may affect some young tinction to the universities or public ladds.' Ib. vi. Addenda, p. 44. schools.'
2 Murphy here follows Hawkins 4 Hawkins, p. 35 ; Life, i. 81.
(p. 33), who, in his turn, followed the s Hawkins, p. 36. According to
anonymous author of Memoirs of the Boswell (Life, i. 97) there were only
Life &>c. of Dr. Johnson, ed. 1785, three pupils.
p. 25. Boswell speaks of the mar- 6 Gent. Mag., 1736, pp. 360, 428.
riage as 'a very imprudent scheme Pembroke College has lately acquired
both on account of their disparity of a desk which belonged to Johnson
years and her want of fortune.' Life, at Edial.
Edial,
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