I have been accustomed to bleed frequently for an afthmatic complaint; but have forborn for fome time by Dr. Pepyfs's perfuafion, who perceived my legs beginning to fwell.

I fometimes alleviate a painful, or more properly an oppreffive conftriction of my cheft by opiates, and have lately taken opium frequently; but the last or two last times in fmaller quantities. My largest dofe is three grains, and last night I took but two.

You will fuggeft these things, and they are all that I can call to mind, to Dr. Heberden.

IT hath pleafed Almighty God this morning to deprive me of the powers of speech; and as I do not know but that it might be his further good pleasure to deprive me foon of my fenfes, I requeft you will, on the receipt of this note, come to me, and act for me, as the exigencies of my cafe may require.

TO THE REV. DR. TAYLOR, ASHBOURN,
DERBYSHIRE.

DEAR SIR,

WHAT can be the reason that I hear nothing from you? I hope nothing difables you from writing. What I have seen, and what I have felt, gives me reason to fear every thing. Do not omit giving me the comfort of knowing, that after all my loffes I have got a friend left.

I want every comfort. My life is very solitary and very cheerlefs. Though it has pleafed God wonderfully to deliver me from the dropfy: I am yet very weak, and have not paffed the door fince the 13th of December. I hope for fome help from warm weather, which will furely come in time.

I could not have the confent of the Physicians to go to Church yesterday; I therefore received the Holy Sacrament at home, in the room where I communicated with dear Mrs. Williams, a little before her death. O, my friend, the approach of death is very dreadful. I am afraid to think on that which I know I cannot avoid, It is vain to look round and round, for that help which cannot be had. Yet, we hope and hope, and fancy that he who has lived to-day may live to-morrow. us learn to derive our hope only from God,

But let

In the mean time, let us be kind to one another. I have no friend now living but you and Mr. Hector, that was the friend of my youth. Do not neglect,

AFTER a long and not inattentive obfervation on mankind, the generofity of your Lordship's offer raises in me no lefs wonder than gratitude. Bounty fo liberally bestowed I fhould gladly receive if my condition made it neceffary; for to fuch a mind who would not be proud to own his obligation? But it hath pleased God to restore me to fuch a measure of health, that if I fhould now appropriate fo much of a fortune deftined to do good, I could not escape from myself the charge of advancing a falfe claim. My journey to the continent, though I once thought it neceffary, was never much encouraged by my phyficians, and I was very defirous that your Lordship fhould be told of it by Sir Joshua Reynolds as an event very uncertain; for if I fhould grow much bet

ter

ter I fhould not be willing, and if much worse, I fhould not be able to migrate.

Your Lordship was first folicited without my knowledge; but when I was told that you was pleased to honour me with your patronage, I did not expect to hear of a refufal; yet as I have had no long time to brood hope, and have not rioted in imaginary opulence, this cold reception has been scarce a disappointment; and from your Lordship's kindness I have received a benefit which men like you are able to bestow. I fhall now live mihi carior, with a higher opinion of my own merit.

I am, my LORD,

Your Lordship's most obliged,
Most grateful,

And most humble fervant,
S. JOHNSON.

To the Right Honourable

the Lord Chancellor,

Sept. 1784.

LETTER XL.

To MR. NICHOL S.

SIR, Litchfield, Oct. 20, 1784. WHEN you were here, you were pleased, as I am told, to think my abfence an inconvenience. I fhould certainly have been very glad to give fo fkilful a Lover

of

of Antiquities any information about my native place, of which however I know not much, and have reafon to believe that not much is known.

Though I have not given you any amusement, I have received amusement from you. At Ashbourne, where I had very little company, I had the luck to borrow "Mr. Bowyer's Life," a book fo full of contemporary history, that a literary man muft find fome of his old friends. I thought that I could now and then have told you some hints worth your notice; and perhaps we may talk a life over. I hope we shall be much together. You must now be to me what you were before, and what dear Mr. Allen was befides. He was taken unexpectedly away, but I think he was a very good

man.

I have made little progress in recovery. I am very weak, and very fleepless; but I live on, and hope.

I am, SIR,

Your most humble fervant,
SAM. JOHNSON.

SIR,

LETTER XLI.

To MR. NICHOLS.

THE late learned Mr. Swinton of Oxford having one day remarked that one man, meaning, I fuppofe,

no