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matter into form was the work of a fature day and of an abler hand ; Guthrie, the historian, a writer for the booksellers, whom Cave retained for the purpose." But these debates were not given till the session was ended ; and then only with the initial and final letters of each speaker.
Thus far all went on smoothly for two years ; till on the 20th of April, 1738, a complaint being made to the house, tnat the publishers of several written and printed news letters and papers had taken upon them to give accounts therein of the proceedioss of the house ; it was resolved, "That it is a high indignity to, and a notorious breach of, the privilege of this house, for any news- writer, in letters, or other papers, to give there- in, any account of the debates, or other pro- ceedings of this house, or any committee thereof, as well during the recess, as the sitting of parlia- ment; and that this house will proceed with the utmost severity against such offenders." During the debates, sir William Younge earnestly im- plored the house of commons to put down the printing of the debates of the house ; he was fol- lowed by sir Thomas Winnington, who, in the midst of a long speech, made the following ob- servation : — ^" You will have the tpetchet of the htnue every day printed, even during your session, and toe shall be looked upon as the most con- temptible assembly on the face of the earth." The absurd spirit which dictated this resolution, has not yet departed from the legislature ; and it has been truly remarked, that even at the present hour, "were tlie question put, whether journal- ists attend to report by connivance, or by open sufferance, there is little doubt the sticklers for privilege would decide for the former."
Some expedient was now become necessary; and the caution (not the vanity) of Cave suggest- ing to him a popular fiction; in June, 1738, he prefaced the debates by what he chose to call " An Appendix to Captain Lemuel Gulliver's Account of the famous Empire of Lilliput;" and the proceedings in parliament were given under the title of "Debates in the Senate of Great Lilliput." Not thinking himself, how- ever, perfectly secure, even by this total con- cealment of the speakers, he did not venture to put his own name to the title-pages of the maga- zine; but published them under the name of one of his nephews, Edward Cave, junior, which was continued until 1792. In the follow- ing year he again used his own name, and gave the debStes, as at first, with the initial and final letters.
A new era in politics, occasioned by the motion to remove the minister, Feb. 13, 1740^1, bring- ing on much warmer debates, required " the pen of a more nervous writer than he who had hitherto conducted them;" and "Cave, dis- missing Guthrie, committed the care of this part of his monthly publication to Johnson," who had already given ample specimens of his ability. But the Lilliputian disguise was still continued, even beyond the period of Johnson's debates, which, as has been authenticated by his own diary, began Nov. 19, 1740, and ended
Feb. 23, 1742-9.* And theSu debates, which, every competent judge must allow, exhibit a memorable specimen of the extent and prompti- tude of Johnson's faculties, and which have induced learned foreigners to compare British with Roman eloquence, were hastily sketched by Johnson, while he was not yet thirty-two, while he had little acquaintance with Hie, while he was struggling, not for distinction, but existence. On the 3d of April, 1747, a complaint having been made in the house of lords against Edwaiu Cave and Thomas Astley, for printing in their respective magazines (the Gentleman^s and the London) an account of the Trial of Simon Lord Lovat, they were both ordered into the custody of the gentieman usher of the black rod. — On the lOtn of April, Mr. Cave, in custody, petitioned the house; expressing his sorrow for nis offence; begging pardon for the same; promising never to onend again in the like man- ner ; and praying to be discharged. — On the 30di of April, the lord Raymond reported from the committee appointed to consider of the offences of Astiey ana Cave, "that they had ordered Cave to be brought before them ; and the book complained of being shown to him, he owned that he printed and published it." Being asked, " how he came to publish an account of lord Lovat's trial, and from whom he had the account so published .'*" he said, " it was done inadver- tently; he was very sorry for having offended; that he published the said account of the trial
- In 1740-1, Dr. Johnaon ancceeded WllUun Gathiie in
drawing up the debates. The eloquence, the force of argu- ment, and the splendour of language, displayed in the several speeches, are well known, and unirenally admiTCd. The following anecdote is related by sir Jolm Hawldns : —
- ' Dr. Johnson, Mr. Weddcibnrn, (lord Loughborough)
Dr. Francis, the translator of Horace, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Chetwyn, and svveral other gentlemen, dined witii Poote. After dinner, an important debate, toward the end of sir Robert Walpnle's administration, b^g mentioned. Dr. Francis observed, that Mr. Pitt's speech, upon that occa- sion, was the best he had ever read. He had been em. ployed, he added, during a number of yeani, in the study of Demosthenes, and had finished a translation of that celebrated orator, with all the decorations of style and language within the reach of his capacity. Many of the company remembered the debate, and several passaf^ea were cited ITom the speech, with the approbation and ap- plause of all present. Dnilng the ardour of the conversa- tion, Joluuon remained silent. When Uie warmth of pta^e Bubdded, he opened with these words : * That speech I wrote in a garret in Exeter-street.' The company was struck with astonishment. After staring at each other for some time, in silent amaze. Dr. Francis asked how that speech could be written by him. ■ Sir, said Johnson, I wrote it in Exeter-street : I never was in the gallery of the house of commons but once ; Cave had interest with the door-keepers : he and the persons employed under him got admittance : they brought away the subject of discns- idon, the names of the sp«ikers, the side they took, and the order in which they rose, together with notes of the varioas arguments adduced in the course of the debate. The whole was afterwards communicated to me, and I composed the speeches in the form they now have in the parliamentary debates. For tlie speeches of that period are all reprinted from Cave's Magazine.* To this discovery Dr. Francis made answer : ' Then, sir, you have exceeded Demosthenes himself, for to say you have exceeded Francis's Demosthenes would be nothing.' The rest of the company were lavish of their compliments to Johnson : one, in particular, praised his imparttality, observing that be had dealt out reason and eloquence witii an equal hand to both parties. " That is not quite true, sir," said John- son ; " I saved appearances well enough, but I took care that the whig dogs should not have the best of it."
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