cost Eleven hundred Guineas, contributed by the LITERARY CLUB, and his other friends and admirers, was executed by Bacon, and opened to the inspection of the public, Feb. 23. 1796. It consists of a colossal figure leaning against a column; and beneath is the following appropriate and classical epitaph, written by the Rev. Dr Parr. SAMUELI. JOHNSON. Grammatico. et. critico Scriptorum. Anglicorum. litterate. perito Homini. optimo, et singularis. exempli Qui vixit. Ann. LXXV, mens. II. dieb. xIIII Decessit. Idib. Decembr. Ann Christ clo: Iǝcc. LXXXIII. Sepult in aed Sanct. Petr. Westmonasteriens ⚫ XIII. kal. Januar. Ann. Christ. clɔ Iɔcc. LXXXV Amici. et. sodales litterarii. Pecunia conlata H. Mfaciund⚫ curaver In the Dean's consistory court, adjoining the south transept of the Cathedral Church of Lichfield, a bust has been erected to his memory, with the following inscription. The Friends of SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D. Erected this Monument, As a tribute of respect to the memory of A distinguished moral writer, and a sincere He died the 18th of December, 1784, aged 75 years. As Johnson, during his life, was the most distinguished literary character of his country, so his death attracted the public attention in an uncommon degree, and was followed by an unprecedented accumulation of literary honours, in the various forms of, Sermons, Elegies, Memoirs, Lives, Essays, and Anecdotes. A sermon " On the Difference between the Deaths of the Righteous and the Wicked, illustrated in the instance of Dr Samuel Johnson and David Hume, Esq." was preached be fore the University of Oxford, at St Mary's Church, on Sunday, July 23. 1786, by the Rev. William Agutter, A. M. of St Mary Magdalen College, and chaplain to the Asylum;* and Dr Fordyce, in his " Addresses to the Deity," 12mo, 1785, paid an elegant and affectionate tribute to his memory. "The character of Dr Johnson," by Dr Horne, bishop of Norwich, in the "Olla Podrida," Nov. 23. 1787, was recognized as the production of a discriminating judge; and the estimate of his moral and literary qualifications, in "Four Dialogues, containing a comparative view of the In this pious and rational discourse, from Job xxi. 23-26, first printed in 8vo. 1800, the preacher particularly examines the causes of Johnson's fears of death, assigns various reasons for the divine permission of the apprehension of the good, and the indifference of the in fidel in their last hours, and vindicates and illustrates the ways of Providence, in particular cases, and exposes the slight pretences on which scepticism and irreligion affect to triumph, in the difference between the deaths of him whe feareth God and him who feareth him not. In the notes taken from the last edition of this narrative, it is alsatisfaction to the present writer, to find the sentiments of this able advocate of Christianity concur with and strengthen his own. Lives, Characters, and Writings of Philip the late Earl of Chesterfield and Dr Samuel Johnson," 12mo, 1787, was received with general approbation. The "Elegy on the Death of Dr Johnson," by Samuel Hobhouse, Esq. 4to,1785*; was distinguished from the mass of elegiac * A poem of considerable merit, entitled, " Verses on the Death of Dr Samuel Johnson," was also published by 'C. Dilly, in the Poultry, 4to, 1785. This poem, which ́extends to sixteen pages, was written by Thomas Percy, (nephew to the writer of this note), then a scholar of Merchant-Taylor's School, London, aged only 16 years, now LL. D. and Fellow of St John's College, Oxford. BISHOP PERCY. The amiable and ingenious author of this poetical tribute to the memory of Johnson, endeared to his friends by his eminent virtues and talents, died on a visit to his cousin, Mrs Isted, at Ecton, in Northamptonshire, after a short illness, May 14. 1808, in the 39th year of his age. He was the editor of the 4th edition of the "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," 1794, one of the original projectors of "The British Critic," and author of many occasional poetical compositions, characterised by justness and elevation of thought, terseness of expression, and purity and elegance of diction. With him the present writer was connected by the reciproci ties of mutual friendship; and to this hour he regrets his loss. See "Miscellanies," by the Hon. Daines Barrington, 4to, 1781, p. 308. verses on that occasion; and the just, discriminative, and elegant "Poetical Review of the Moral and Literary Character of Dr Johnson," by John Courtenay, Esq. M. P. 4to, 1788, was perused with avidity, by the admirers of wit and learning, and the friends of virtue and liberty. His conduct and genius were examined and illustrated in the rapid "Biographical Sketch of Dr Johnson," by Thomas Tyers, Esq. in the "Gentleman's Magazine," for 1784; the sprightly and entertaining "Anecdotes of Dr In the brief memorial of Bishop Percy, reprinted p. 250-54, from an obituary notice drawn up by the present writer, for insertion in the public papers, a heavy affliction happened to be overlooked, which he suffered by the death of his only son Henry, at Marseilles, in the south of France, whither he went for the recovery of his health, April 2. 1782, in the 21st year of his age. He was of Emanuel College, Cambridge, and the pride and hope of his family. Mr Nichols, to whom every man of letters owes obligations, has, unconsciously, gratified the writer of this narrative, by incorporating a considerable portion of the obituary notice, inserted in the public papers at the time of Bishop Percy's death, into the great body of English biography, and bibliography, "Literary Anec dotes of the Eighteenth Century," &c. vol. ii. p. 752-54. |