If I ever should shew it to any person it will be to Mr. Langton, from a motive of wishing him to see the alteration I have made in it for the better, since he saw it, and as it is also since Dr. Johnson saw it, and particularly that part he most objected to, my belief that I had obviated that objection, is another apology for my printing it.

To this Mrs. Montagu returned a wordy and diffuse reply, commenting that “having for many years past left off all metaphysical studies,” she was “not a competent judge of any work on subjects of that nature,” yet insisting that she doubted if contemporary readers would like it.  It was obvious that Mrs. Montagu refused to be a party to further dissemination of the printed copies.  And there the matter rested for almost three more years.

The wish to have some of the copies read by the general public proved too strong, and on 15 April 1788 Miss Reynolds wrote again to Mrs. Montagu, asking her aid in recovering a letter, or transcription of a letter, of Johnson’s: 

It is of great importance to me the recovery of this letter particularly so as I perceive I must not presume to hope for the only patronage that could countervail the loss of Dr. Johnsons, should I ever be induced to publish the work.  I do not mean that I would publish the letter, but that the testimony it conveys of Dr. Johnsons approbation, would be highly advantageous to me in the disposal of the copy to a Bookseller, indeed approbation is an improper Word, inadequate to the praises he bestows on the work, I durst not repeat his expressions tho I well remember them.  Some friendly strictures also the letter contained, all these I remember I transcribed verbatim in a letter I sent to you in the beginning of the year 82. they begin

    Many of your notions seem not to be very clear in your own
    imagination....[5]

It was not until the next year that with the help of James Northcote she finally made active preparations to have the work published.  As Miss Reynolds wrote to Mrs. Montagu on 5 February,

I forgot to say that Mr. Nurse recommended Mr. Northcote to a Mr. Bladen in Paternoster Row for a Publisher, but I sent in the utmost haste to him to prevent his taking any steps towards so disgraceful a place as I imagine that to be so incongruous.[6]

In preparation for the new printing, Miss Reynolds had further revised her essay, and in order to enhance the value of the piece for general readers she decided to add three letters from Johnson of which she chanced to have copies.  Totally unconnected with the essay, one was to Sir Joseph Banks concerning the motto for his goat’s collar; the others concerned the unfortunate Dr. Dodd.  But before going ahead she again asked the advice of her patroness.  Mrs. Montagu replied: