’Dear sir,—­You have reason to reproach me that I have left your last letter so long unanswered, but I had nothing particular to say.  Chambers, you find, is gone far, and poor Goldsmith is gone much further.  He died of a fever, exasperated, as I believe, by the fear of distress.  He had raised money and squandered it, by every artifice of acquisition, and folly of expence.  But let not his frailties be remembered; he was a very great man.

’I have just begun to print my Journey to the Hebrides, and am leaving the press to take another journey into Wales, whither Mr. Thrale is going, to take possession of, at least, five hundred a year, fallen to his lady.  All at Streatham, that are alive, are well.

’I have never recovered from the last dreadful illness, but flatter myself that I grow gradually better; much, however, yet remains to mend. [Greek text omitted].

’If you have the Latin version of Busy, curious, thirsty fly, be so kind as to transcribe and send it; but you need not be in haste, for I shall be I know not where, for at least five weeks.  I wrote the following tetastrick on poor Goldsmith:—­

[Greek text omitted]

’Please to make my most respectful compliments to all the ladies, and remember me to young George and his sisters.  I reckon George begins to shew a pair of heels.

’Do not be sullen now, but let me find a letter when I come back.  I am, dear Sir, your affectionate, humble servant,

’Sam.  Johnson.

‘July 5,1774.’

In his manuscript diary of this year, there is the following entry:—­

’Nov. 27.  Advent Sunday.  I considered that this day, being the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, was a proper time for a new course of life.  I began to read the Greek Testament regularly at 160 verses every Sunday.  This day I began the Acts.

’In this week I read Virgil’s Pastorals.  I learned to repeat the Pollio and Gallus.  I read carelessly the first Georgick.’

Such evidences of his unceasing ardour, both for ’divine and human lore,’ when advanced into his sixty-fifth year, and notwithstanding his many disturbances from disease, must make us at once honour his spirit, and lament that it should be so grievously clogged by its material tegument.

1775:  AETAT. 66.]—­

’Mr. Boswell to Dr. Johnson.

’Edinburgh, Feb. 2,1775.

‘. . .  As to Macpherson,’ I am anxious to have from yourself a full and pointed account of what has passed between you and him.  It is confidently told here, that before your book came out he sent to you, to let you know that he understood you meant to deny the authenticity of Ossian’s poems; that the originals were in his possession; that you might have inspection of them, and might take the evidence of people skilled in the Erse language; and that he hoped, after this fair offer, you would not be so uncandid as to assert that he had refused reasonable proof.  That you paid no regard to his message, but published your strong attack upon him; and then he wrote a letter to you, in such terms as he thought suited to one who had not acted as a man of veracity.’ . . .