The Life of Samuel Johnson - 1822 Author:James Boswell Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: his description of the shield of Achilles, made by Mrs. Fitzherbert, wife to his friend Mr. Fitzherbert of Derbyshire, and respected by Dr. Johnson as a very fin... more »e one. He had in general a very high opinion of that lady's understanding. " An observation of Bathurst's may be mentioned, which Johnson repeated, appearing to acknowledge it to be well founded ; namely, it was somewhat remarkable how seldom, on occasion of coming into the company of any new person, one felt any wish or inclination to see him again." This year the Reverend Dr. Franklin having published a translation of " Lucian," inscribed to him the Demonax thus: . " To Dr Samuel Johnson, the Demonax of the present age, this piece is inscribed by a sincere admirer of his respectable talents, " The Translatoe." Though upon a particular comparison of Demonax and Johnson, there does not seem to be a great deal of similarity between them, this Dedication is a just compliment from the general character given by Lucian of the ancient Sage, " ajis-oi/ uv oi£tx, tyu ipthotrotpuv ywoptvov, the best philosopher whom I have ever seen or known." In 1781, Johnson at last completed his " Lives of the Poets," of which he gives this account: " Some time in" March I finished the ' Lives of the Poets,' which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily and hastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste."7 In a 7 Prayers and Meditations, p. 190T memorandum previous to this, he says oF them : " Written, I hope, in such a manner as may tend to the promotion of piety."8 t This is the work, which of all Dr. Johnson's writings will perhaps be read most, generally, and with most pleasure. Philology and biography were his favourite pursuits, and those who lived most in intimacy with him, heard him upon all ...« less