He had, from the month of July in this year, marked the progrefs of his diseases, in a journal which he intitled Egri Ephemeris,' noting therein his many fleepless nights by the words, Nox infomnis. This he often contemplated, and, finding very little ground for hope that he had much longer to live, he fet himfelf to prepare for his diffolution, and betook himself to private prayer and the reading of Erafmus on the New Testament, Dr. Clarke's fermons, and fuch other books as had a tendency to calm and comfort him.

In this ftate of his body and mind, he seemed to be very anxious in the discharge of two offices that he had hitherto neglected to perform: one was, the communicating to the world the names of the perfons concerned in the compilation of the Univerfal History; the other was, the refcuing from oblivion the memory of his father and mother, and alfo, of his brother: the former of these he difcharged, by delivering to Mr. Nichols the printer, in my prefence, a paper containing the information above-mentioned, and directions to depofit it in the British mufeum. The other, by compofing a memorial of his deceased parents and his brother, intended for their tomb-ftone, which, whether it was ever infcribed thereon or not, is extant in the Gentleman's Magazine for January 1785. The note afcertaining the names of the compilers of the Univerfal History, is inferted in the Magazine for the preceding month. The monumental infcription is as follows:

H. S. E.

MICHAEL JOHNSON,

Vir impavidus, conftans, animofus, periculorum immemor, laborum patientiffimus; fiduciâ chriftianâ,

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fortis,

fortis, fervidufque, pater-familias apprimè ftrenuus; bibliopola admodum peritus; mente et libris et negotiis exculta; animo ita firmo, ut, rebus adverfis diu conflictatus, nec fibi nec fuis defuerit: lingua fic temperata, ut ei nihil quod aures, vel pias, vel caftas læfiffet, aut dolor, vel voluptas unquam exprefferit. Natus Cubleie, in agro Derbienfi, anno MDC LVI. obiit MDCCXXXI.

Appofita eft SA r a, conjux,

Antiqua FOR DORUM gente oriunda; quam domi fedulam, foris paucis notam; nulli moleftam, mentis acumine et judicii fubtilitate præcellentem; aliis multum, fibi parum indulgentem: Eternitati femper attentam, omne fere virtutis nomen commendavit.

Nata Nortoniæ Regis, in agro Varvicenfi, anno MDCLXIX; obiit MDCCLIX.

Cum NATHANA E LE illorum filio, qui natus MDCCXII, cum vires, et animi, et corporis multa pollicerentur, anno MDCCXXXVII, vitam brevem piâ morte finivit.

He would also have written, in Latin verse, an epitaph for Mr. Garrick, but found himself unequal to the task of original poetic compofition in that language.

Nevertheless, he fucceeded in an attempt to render into Latin metre, from the Greek Anthologia, fundry of the epigrams therein contained, that had been omitted by other tranflators, alledging as a reafon, which he had found in Fabricius, that Henry Stephens, Buchanan, Grotius, and others, had paid a like tribute to

literature.

literature. The performance of this tafk was the employment of his fleepless nights, and, as he imformed me, it afforded him great relief.

His complaints ftill increafing, I continued preffing him to make a will, but he still procraftinated that bufinefs. On the twenty-feventh of November, in the morning, I went to his houfe, with a purpose ftill farther to urge him not to give occafion, by dying inteftate, for litigation among his relations; but finding that he was gone to pass the day with the reverend Mr. Strahan, at Iflington, I followed him thither, and found there our old friend Mr. Ryland, and Mr. Hoole. Upon my fitting down, he faid, that the profpect of the change he was about to undergo, and the thought of meeting his Saviour, troubled him, but that he had hope that he would not reject him. I then began to discourse with him about his will, and the provifion for Frank, till he grew angry. He told me, that he had figned and fealed the paper I left him ;-but that, faid I, had blanks in it, which, as it seems, you have not filled up with the names of the executors. You fhould have filled ⚫ them up yourself,' answered he.--I replied, that fuch an act would have looked as if I meant to prevent his choice of a fitter perfon.-- Sir,' faid he, these minor virtues are not to be exercised in * matters of fuch importance as this.'--At length, he faid, that on his return home, he would fend for a clerk, and dictate a. will to him.--You will then, faid I, be inops confilii; rather do it now.

To these may be added, the examples of Sir Thomas More and Lily the grammarian, both of whose translations are published among Sir Thomas More's epigrams.

With Mr. Strahan's permiffion, I will be his guest at dinner; and, if Mr. Hoole will please to hold the pen, I will, in a few words, make fuch a disposition of your estate as you fhall direct.--To this he afsented; but such a paroxyfm of the asthma seized him, as prevented our going on. As the fire burned up, he found himfelf relieved, and grew chearful. The 'fit,' faid he,' was very fharp; but I am now eafy.' After I had dictated a few lines, I told him, that the ancient form of wills contained a profeffion of the faith of the teftator; and that, he being a man of eminence for learning and parts, it would afford an illuftrious example, and well become him, to make fuch an explicit declaration of his belief, as might obviate all fufpicions that he was any other than a Chriftian*. He thanked me for the hint, and, calling for paper, wrote on a flip, that I had in my hand and gave him, the following words: I humbly com

mit to the infinite and eternal goodness of Almighty • God, my foul polluted with many fins; but, as I hope, purified by repentance, and redeemed, as I truft, by the death of Jefus Chrift; and, returning it to me, faid, 'This I commit to your cuftody.'

* After the Roman empire became Chriftian, not only the teftaments of dying men, but the imperial edicts, began with an invocation of the name of God, or of the holy and undivided Trinity. The inftitutes of Juftinian begin In nomine Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti;' and, till lately, the addrefs of grants and charters has been To all Chriftian people.' Vide Sir Henry Spelman of antient Deeds and Charters, among his English works. A few years ago it was the uniform practice to begin wills with the words, In the name of God, amen ;' and frequently to infert therein a declaration of the teftator's hope of pardon in the merits of his Saviour; but, in these more refined times, fuch forms are deemed fuperfluous.

Upon my calling on him for directions to proceed, he told me, that his father, in the course of his trade of a bookfeller, had become bankrupt, and that Mr. William Innys had affisted him with money or credit to continue his bufinefs- This,' faid he, I confider as an obligation on me to be grateful to his defcendants, and I therefore mean to give 200l. to his reprefentative.'-He then meditated a devife of his house at Lichfield to the corporation of that city for a charitable ufe; but, it being freehold, he faid- I < cannot live a twelve-month, and the last statute of mortmain* stands in the way: I muft, therefore, think of fome other difpofition of it.'-His next confideration was, a provifion for Frank, concerning the amount whereof I found he had been confulting Dr. Brocklesby, to whom he had put this questionWhat would be a proper annuity to bequeath to a favourite fervant?'-The doctor answered, that the circumstances of the mafter were the trueft measure, and that, in the cafe of a nobleman, 50l. a year was deemed an adequate reward for many years' faithful fervice. Then, fhall I,' faid Johnfon,

be

nobiliffimus; for, I mean to leave Frank 70l. a year, and I defire you to tell him fo.'-And now, at the making of the will, a devife, equivalent to fuch a provifion, was therein inferted. The refidue of his eftate and effects, which took in, though he intended it not, the house at Lichfield, he bequeathed to his executors, in truft for a religious affociation, which it is needlefs to defcribe.

* Viz. 9 Geo. 2. cap. 36, which enacts, that no lands, tenements, &c. fhall be given to any bodies politic, unless by deed indented, made twelve months, at least, before the death of the donor. Having

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