’Dec. 11.  My father in the morning saw this first of men.  He was up and very composed.  He took his hand very kindly, asked after all his family, and then in particular how Fanny did.  “I hope,” he said, “Fanny did not take it amiss that I did not see her.  I was very bad.  Tell Fanny to pray for me.”  After which, still grasping his hand, he made a prayer for himself, the most fervent, pious, humble, eloquent, and touching, my father says, that ever was composed.  Oh! would I had heard it!  He ended it with Amen! in which my father joined, and was echoed by all present; and again, when my father was leaving him, he brightened up, something of his arch look returned, and he said:  “I think I shall throw the ball at Fanny yet."’

’Dec. 12. [Miss Burney called at Bolt-court.] All the rest went away but a Mrs. Davis, a good sort of woman, whom this truly charitable soul had sent for to take a dinner at his house. [See ante, p. 239, note 2.] Mr. Langton then came.  He could not look at me, and I turned away from him.  Mrs. Davis asked how the Doctor was.  “Going on to death very fast,” was his mournful answer.  “Has he taken,” said she, “anything?” “Nothing at all.  We carried him some bread and milk—­he refused it, and said:—­’The less the better.’"’

’Dec. 20.  This day was the ever-honoured, ever-lamented Dr. Johnson committed to the earth.  Oh, how sad a day to me!  My father attended.  I could not keep my eyes dry all day; nor can I now in the recollecting it; but let me pass over what to mourn is now so vain.’  Mme. D’Arblay’s Diary, ii. 333-339.

APPENDIX F.

(Notes on Boswell’s note on pages 403-405.)

[F-1] In a letter quoted in Mr. Croker’s Boswell, p. 427, Dr. Johnson calls Thomas Johnson ‘cousin,’ and says that in the last sixteen months he had given him L40.  He mentions his death in 1779. Piozzi Letters, ii. 45.

[F-2] Hawkins (Life, p. 603) says that Elizabeth Herne was Johnson’s first-cousin, and that he had constantly—­how long he does not say—­contributed L15 towards her maintenance.

[F-3] For Mauritius Lowe, see ante, iii. 324, and iv. 201.

[F-4] To Mr. Windham, two days earlier, he had given a copy of the New Testament, saying:—­’Extremum hoc munus morientis habeto.’  Windham’s Diary, p. 28.

[F-5] For Mrs. Gardiner see ante, i. 242.

[F-6] Mr. John Desmoulins was the son of Mrs. Desmoulins (ante, iii. 222, 368), and the grandson of Johnson’s god-father, Dr. Swinfen (ante, i. 34).  Johnson mentions him in a letter to Mrs. Thrale in 1778.  ’Young Desmoulins is taken in an under-something of Drury Lane; he knows not, I believe, his own denomination.’ Piozzi Letters, ii. 25.

[F-7] The reference is to The Rambler, No. 41 (not 42 as Boswell says), where Johnson mentions ’those vexations and anxieties with which all human enjoyments are polluted.’