That his English works have been so long neglected, is a proof of the uncertainty of literary fame.  He was scarcely known, as an author, in his own language, till Mr. Upton published his Schoolmaster, with learned notes.  His other pieces were read only by those few who delight in obsolete books; but as they are now collected into one volume, with the addition of some letters never printed before, the publick has an opportunity of recompensing the injury, and allotting Ascham the reputation due to his knowledge and his eloquence.

[1] From the Gentleman’s Magazine, 1742.

[2] Literary Magazine, vol. i. p. 41. 1756.

[3] The first part of this review closed here.  What follows did not appear until seven months after.  To which delay the writer alludes with provoking severity.

[4] Literary Magazine, vol. i. p, 89. 1756.

[5] From the Literary Magazine, vol. ii. p. 253.

[6] And of such a man, it is to be regretted, that Dr. Johnson was, by whatever motive, induced to speak with acrimony; but, it is probable, that he took up the subject, at first, merely to give play to his fancy.  This answer, however, to Mr. Hanway’s letter, is, as Mr. Boswell has remarked, the only instance, in the whole course of his life, when he condescended to oppose any thing that was written against him.  C.

[7] From the Literary Magazine, 1756.

[8] In all the papers and criticisms Dr. Johnson wrote for the Literary Magazine, he frequently departs from the customary we of anonymous writers.  This, with his inimitable style, soon pointed him out, as the principal person concerned in that publication.

[9] The second volume of Dr. Warton’s Essay was not published until the year 1782.

[10] This Enquiry, published in 1757, was the production of Soame Jenyns, esq. who never forgave the author of the review.  It is painful to relate, that, after he had suppressed his resentment during Dr. Johnson’s life, he gave it vent, in a petulant and illiberal mock-epitaph, which would not have deserved notice, had it not been admitted into the edition of his works, published by Mr. Cole.  When this epitaph first appeared in the newspapers, Mr. Boswell answered it by another upon Mr. Jenyns, equal, at least, in illiberality.

This review is justly reckoned one of the finest specimens of criticism in our language, and was read with such eagerness, when published in the Literary Magazine, that the author was induced to reprint it in a small volume by itself; a circumstance which appears to have escaped Mr. Boswell’s research.

[11] New Practice of Physick.

[12] From the Literary Magazine, 1756.

[13] From the Literary Magazine, 1756.

[14] From the Literary Magazine, 1756.—­There are other reviews of books by Dr. Johnson, in this magazine, but, in general, very short, and consisting chiefly of a few introductory remarks, and an extract.  That on Mrs. Harrison’s Miscellanies maybe accounted somewhat interesting, from the notice of Dr. Watts.