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and printed by Cave in November 1738, has been afcribed to him; but Mifs Carter has lately acknowledged that she was the tranflator.

In 1739, befide the affiftance he gave to the Debates in the Senate of Lilliput, his writings in the " Gentleman's Magazine," were, The Life of Boerhaave, An Appeal to the Public in behalf of the Editor, Verfes to Eliza, a Greek Epigram to Dr. Birch, and Confiderations on the cafe of Dr. Trapp's Sermons," reprinted in the Magazine for July 1787.

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The fame year he joined in the clamour against Walpole, and published his famous Jacobite pamphlet intituled, Marmor Norfol cienfe, or an Effay on an Ancient Prophetical infcription in Monkish rhyme, lately difcovered near Lynne, in Norfolk, by Probus Britannicus. In this performance, he inveighs against the Brunfwick fucceffion, and the meafures of Government confequent upon it,

with warm anti-Hanoverian zeal. The Jacobite principles inculcated by it, according to Sir John Hawkins, aroufed the vigilance of the Miniftry. A warrant was iffued, and meffengers were employed to apprehend the author, who, it seems, was known. To elude his purfuers, he retired with his wife to Lambeth-marsh, and there lay concealed in an obfcure lodging till the fcent grew cold. Mr. Bofwell however denies that there is any foundation for this story; for that Mr. Steele, one of the late secretaries of the Treasury, had directed every poffible fearch to be made in the records of the Treafury and Secretary of State's Office, but could find no trace of any warrant having been iffued to apprehend the author of this pamphlet. His Marmor Norfolcienfe obtained also the honour of Pope's commendation, as appears from the following note concerning Johnson, copied with minute exactnefs, by

Mr. Bofwell, from the original in the pof feffion of Dr. Percy.

"This [London] is imitated by one Johnfon, who put in for a public school in Shropshire, but was disappointed. He has an infirmity of the convulfive kind, that attacks him fometimes, fo as to make him a fad fpectacle. Mr. P. from the merit of this work, which was all the knowledge he had of him, endeavoured to ferve him without his own application; and wrote to my Lord Gower, but he did not fucceed; Mr. Johnson published afterwards another poem in Latin, with notes, the whole very humorous, called the Norfolk Prophecy."

In the fame year 1739, he published A complete Vindication of the Licenfers of the Stage, from the malicious and fcandalous afperfions of Mr. Brooke, author of Guflavus Vafa, in 4to. This was an ironical, but a very proper attack upon the Lord Chamberlain, for the injuftifiable fuppreffion of

that tragedy. Indeed the power vested in that officer, refpecting dramatic pieces, is a difgrace to a free country; and the act which gave him that power ought to be repealed. To juftify the rejection of this play, Sir John Hawkins felects a few paffages, not one of which would give umbrage at this day.

In July 1739, a subscription was completed for Savage, who was to retire to Swanfea; and he parted with the companion of his midnight rambles, never to fee him more. This feparation was perhaps a real advantage to Johnson. By associating with Savage, who was habituated to the licentioufnefs and diffipation of the town, Johnson, though his good principles remained steady, did not entirely preferve that temperance for which he was remarkable, in days of greater fimplicity, but wasimperceptibly led into fome indulgences, which occafioned much distress to his vir

tuous mind. It is faid by Sir John Haw kins, that during his connection with Sa+ vage, a short separation took place between Johnson and his wife. They were, however, foon brought together again. Johnfon loved her, and fhowed his affection in various modes of gallantry, which Garrick used to mimic. The affectation of fashionable airs did not fit eafy on Johnson; his gallantry was received by the wife with the flutter of a coquette, and both, we may believe, exposed themselves to ridicule. In 1740, he contributed to the "Gentleman's Magazine," the " Preface," Life of Admiral Blake, and the first parts of thofe of Sir Francis Drake, and of Philip Barettier, both which he finished the year after; An "Effay on Epitaphs," and an Epitaph on Philips, a musician, which was afterwards published, with fome other pieces, in Miss Williams's "Miscellanies."

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