the author with a sprig of myrtle; which Mr. Hector fays were written at his request, in 1731, for his friend Mr. Morgan Graves; but the two accounts are not irreconcileable, for he might give them to Mr. Hector, without thinking it material to mention their pre-existence.

His juvenile attachments to the fair fex were, however, very tranfient, and he never had a criminal connection. In 1735, he became the fervent admirer of Mrs. Porter, widow of Mr. Henry Porter, mercer in Birmingham, to whofe family he had probably been introduced by his fifter Mrs. Hunter of Litchfield, or through his acquaintance with Jarvis, who might be a relation of Mrs, Porter, whofe maiden name was Jarvis. "It was," he said, " a love match on both fides ;" and, judging from the defcription of their perfons, we muft fuppofe that the paffion was not inspired by the beauties of form, or graces

of manner, but by a mutual admiration of each others mind. Johnson's appearance is defcribed as being very forbidding: "He was then lean and lank, fo that his immenfe ftructure of bones was hideously ftriking to the eye, and the fcars of the fcrophula were deeply vifible. He alfo wore his hair, which was straight and stiff, and feparated behind; and he often had seemingly convulfive starts and odd gefticulations, which tended at once to excite furprise and ridicule." Mrs. Porter was double the age of Johnson, and her perfon and manner, as described by Garrick, were by no means pleafing to others. "She was very fat, with a bofom of more than ordinary protuberance. Her fwelled cheeks were of a florid red, produced by thick painting, and increased by the liberal ufe of cordials, flaring and fantastic in her dress, and affected both in her speech and in her general behaviour."

It is to be observed, however, that whatever her real charms may have been, Johnfon thought her beautiful, for in her Epitaph he has recorded her as fuch; and in his Prayers and Meditations, we find very remarkable evidence that his regard and fondness for her never ceased, even after death.

The marriage ceremony was performed, July 9th, at Derby, for which place the bride and bridegroom fet out on horseback; and it must be allowed that the capricious and fantastic behaviour of the bride, during the journey to church, upon the nuptial morn, as related by Mr. Bofwell, was a fingular beginning of connúbial felicity.

She was worth about 800l., which, to a perfon in Johnfon's circumftances, made it a defirable match. To turn this fum to the best advantage, he hired a large house at Edial, near Litchfield, and fet

up a private claffical academy, in which he was encouraged by his friend Mr. Walmsley. In the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1736, there is the following “ADVERTISEMENT-At Edial, near Litchfield, in Staffordshire, young gentlemen are boarded and taught the Latin and Greek languages, by SAMUEL JOHNSON." The plan, notwithstanding, proved abortive. The only pupils that were put under his care, were Garrick, and his brother George, and a Mr. Offely, a young gentleman of a good fortune, who died early.

About this time we find him diligently employed on his Irene, a tragedy, with which

Mr. Walmsley was fo well pleased, that he advised him to proceed with it. It is founded upon a passage in Knolles's "Hiftory of the Turks," a book which he afterwards highly praised and recommended in the Rambler.

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Disappointed in his expectation of deriving fubfiftence from the establishment of a boarding-fchool, he now thought of trying his fortune in London, the great field of genius and exertion, where talents of every kind have the fulleft fcope, and the highest encouragement.

On the 2d of March 1737, being the 28th year of his age, he fet out for London, and it is a memorable circumstance, that his pupil Garrick went thither at the fame time, with intention to complete his education, and follow the profeffion of the law. They were recommended to Mr. Colfon, master of the mathematical school at Rochester, by a letter from Mr. Walmsley, who mentions the joint expedition of thefe two eminent men to the metropolis, in the following manner :

"This young gentleman, and another neighbour of mine, one Mr. Samuel Johnfon, set out this morning for London to

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