In one of the books of his diary I find the following entry: 'Apr.3,1753.I began the second vol.of my Dictionary,room being left in the first for Preface,Grammar,and History,none of them yet begun.
'O God,who hast hitherto supported me,enable me to proceed in this labour,and in the whole task of my present state;that when Ishall render up,at the last day,an account of the talent committed to me,I may receive pardon,for the sake of JESUSCHRIST.Amen.'
1754:AETAT.45.]--The Dictionary,we may believe,afforded Johnson full occupation this year.As it approached to its conclusion,he probably worked with redoubled vigour,as seamen increase their exertion and alacrity when they have a near prospect of their haven.
Lord Chesterfield,to whom Johnson had paid the high compliment of addressing to his Lordship the Plan of his Dictionary,had behaved to him in such a manner as to excite his contempt and indignation.
The world has been for many years amused with a story confidently told,and as confidently repeated with additional circumstances,that a sudden disgust was taken by Johnson upon occasion of his having been one day kept long in waiting in his Lordship's antechamber,for which the reason assigned was,that he had company with him;and that at last,when the door opened,out walked Colley Cibber;and that Johnson was so violently provoked when he found for whom he had been so long excluded,that he went away in a passion,and never would return.I remember having mentioned this story to George Lord Lyttelton,who told me,he was very intimate with Lord Chesterfield;and holding it as a well-known truth,defended Lord Chesterfield,by saying,that 'Cibber,who had been introduced familiarly by the back-stairs,had probably not been there above ten minutes.'It may seem strange even to entertain a doubt concerning a story so long and so widely current,and thus implicitly adopted,if not sanctioned,by the authority which Ihave mentioned;but Johnson himself assured me,that there was not the least foundation for it.He told me,that there never was any particular incident which produced a quarrel between Lord Chesterfield and him;but that his Lordship's continued neglect was the reason why he resolved to have no connection with him.When the Dictionary was upon the eve of publication,Lord Chesterfield,who,it is said,had flattered himself with expectations that Johnson would dedicate the work to him,attempted,in a courtly manner,to sooth,and insinuate himself with the Sage,conscious,as it should seem,of the cold indifference with which he had treated its learned authour;and further attempted to conciliate him,by writing two papers in The World,in recommendation of the work;and it must be confessed,that they contain some studied compliments,so finely turned,that if there had been no previous offence,it is probable that Johnson would have been highly delighted.Praise,in general,was pleasing to him;but by praise from a man of rank and elegant accomplishments,he was peculiarly gratified.
Boswell could not have read the second paper carefully.It is silly and indecent and was certain to offend Johnson.--ED.
This courtly device failed of its effect.Johnson,who thought that 'all was false and hollow,'despised the honeyed words,and was even indignant that Lord Chesterfield should,for a moment,imagine that he could be the dupe of such an artifice.His expression to me concerning Lord Chesterfield,upon this occasion,was,'Sir,after making great professions,he had,for many years,taken no notice of me;but when my Dictionary was coming out,he fell a scribbling in The World about it.Upon which,I wrote him a letter expressed in civil terms,but such as might shew him that Idid not mind what he said or wrote,and that I had done with him.'
This is that celebrated letter of which so much has been said,and about which curiosity has been so long excited,without being gratified.I for many years solicited Johnson to favour me with a copy of it,that so excellent a composition might not be lost to posterity.He delayed from time to time to give it me;till at last in 1781,when we were on a visit at Mr.Dilly's,at Southill in Bedfordshire,he was pleased to dictate it to me from memory.
He afterwards found among his papers a copy of it,which he had dictated to Mr.Baretti,with its title and corrections,in his own handwriting.This he gave to Mr.Langton;adding that if it were to come into print,he wished it to be from that copy.By Mr.
Langton's kindness,I am enabled to enrich my work with a perfect tran of what the world has so eagerly desired to see.
'TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OR CHESTERFIELD'February 7,1755.
'MY LORD,I have been lately informed,by the proprietor of The World,that two papers,in which my Dictionary is recommended to the publick,were written by your Lordship.To be so distinguished,is an honour,which,being very little accustomed to favours from the great,I know not well how to receive,or in what terms to acknowledge.
'When,upon some slight encouragement,I first visited your Lordship,I was overpowered,like the rest of mankind,by the enchantment of your address;and could not forbear to wish that Imight boast myself Le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre;--that Imight obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending;but I found my attendance so little encouraged,that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it.When I had once addressed your Lordship in publick,I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess.I had done all that I could;and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected,be it ever so little.