The’ copy’ or MS. that Johnson sent is, I conjecture, Proposals for the Rev. Mr. Shaw’s Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language (ante, iii. 107).  This is the only acknowledged piece of writing of his during 1776.  The book printing for Professor Watson was History of the Reign of Philip II, which was published by Strahan and Cadell in 1777.  This letter is of unusual interest, as showing that Johnson had been of some service as regards one of Robertson’s books.  It is possible that he read some of the proof-sheets, and helped to get rid of the Scotticisms.  ‘Strahan,’ according to Beattie, ’had corrected (as he told me himself) the phraseology of both Mr. Hume and Dr. Robertson’ (ante, v. 92, n. 3).  He is not unlikely, in Robertson’s case, to have sought and obtained Johnson’s help.

XII.

The following letter is published in Mr. Alfred Morrison’s ’Collection of Autographs’, vol. ii. p. 343.

‘To Dr. TAYLOR.  Dated London, April 20, 1778.’

’The quantity of blood taken from you appears to me not sufficient.  Thrale was almost lost by the scrupulosity of his physicians, who never bled him copiously till they bled him in despair; he then bled till he fainted, and the stricture or obstruction immediately gave way and from that instant he grew better.

’I can now give you no advice but to keep yourself totally quiet and amused with some gentle exercise of the mind.  If a suspected letter comes, throw it aside till your health is reestablished; keep easy and cheerful company about you, and never try to think but at those stated and solemn times when the thoughts are summoned to the cares of futurity, the only cares of a rational being.

’As to my own health I think it rather grows better; the convulsions which left me last year at Ashbourne have never returned, and I have by the mercy of God very comfortable nights.  Let me know very often how you are till you are quite well.’

This letter, though it is dated 1778, must have been written in 1780.  Thrale’s first attack was in June, 1779, when he was in ‘extreme danger’ (ante, iii. 397, n. 2, 420).  Johnson had the remission of the convulsions on June 18, 1779.  He recorded on June 18, 1780:—­

’In the morning of this day last year I perceived the remission of those convulsions in my breast which had distressed me for more than twenty years.  I returned thanks at church for the mercy granted me, which has now continued a year.’—­Prayers and Meditations, p. 183.

Three days later he wrote to Mrs. Thrale:—­

’It was a twelvemonth last Sunday since the convulsions in my breast left me.  I hope I was thankful when I recollected it; by removing that disorder a great improvement was made in the enjoyment of life.’ —­Piozzi Letters, ii. 163. (See ante, iii. 397, n. 1.)

He was at Ashbourne on June 18, 1779 (ante, iii. 453).