CHAPTER IV.

HIS RELIGION.

DR. JOHNSON'S habit of devout prayer must have exercised a most beneficial influence, not only on his literary efforts, but also on the whole tenor of his life; indeed, but for the energy of his religious devotion and practice, his very existence would, perhaps, have been wrecked on the gloomy element of his natural constitution. Every good gift cometh from God, must be sought of God; and we are graciously assured that, from the humble prayer of the meek and reverent petitioner, the Almighty will not turn away. On every new undertaking, on receiving the Sacrament and hearing of sermons, on parting with friends, and in all assaults of temptation or approaches of affliction, we find him using and recommending the blessing of prayer. When he accompanied Boswell to Harwich, on the journey of the latter to Holland, "We went and looked at the Church," is Boswell's record; " and having gone into it, and walked up to the altar, Johnson, whose piety was constant and fervent, sent me to my knees, saying, 'Now that you are going to leave your native country, recommend yourself to the protection of your CREATOR and REDEEMER :" and with what a sterling letter was this advice followed up, wherein he writes, "You will, perhaps, wish to ask, what study I would recommend. I shall not speak of theology, because it ought not to

be considered as a question, whether you shall endeavour to know the will of God."* But more striking are his short memorandums of prayer with his poor black servant." Sunday, 17th. Prayed with Francis, which I now do commonly, and explained to him the Lord's Prayer." His letters to this servant, whom he always addressed as " Dear Barber," (and in his address to no male being did Johnson exceed this epithet,) are characteristic of the affectionateness of his nature, as well as of its humility; for, as the Persian peasant, who, when elevated from his hovel to the palace of his sovereign, kept, with care, his original wooden shoes, so was Johnson ever mindful of his first humble station, and never domineered over the poorest or most unfortunate. This is one of his letters to Francis Barber, whom at the age of twenty-five years he had put to school; and the whole of it must be given to show the tender courtesy, as well as feeling of affection, mingled with due cantion for him, in which he addressed his poor negro; in fact, he could not have treated a lord with more respectful regard :

"DEAR FRANCIS,

"I am at last sat down to write to you, and should very much blame myself for having neglected you so long, if I did not impute that, and many other failings, to want of health. I hope not to be so long silent again. I am very well satisfied with your progress, if you can really perform the exercises which you are set; and I hope Mr. Ellis does not suffer you

*See Croker's latest edition, p. 162.

to impose on him, or on yourself. Make my compliments to Mr. Ellis, and to Mrs. Clapp, and Mr. Smith.

"Let me know what English books you read for your entertainment. You can never be wise unless you love reading. Do not imagine that I shall forget or forsake you; for if, when I examine you, I find that you have not lost your time, you shall want no encouragement from yours, affectionately,

"SAM. JOHNSON."

We find that Johnson never would allow of swearing, or profane expressions, in his presence. This was agreeable to the profound sensations of awe with which he ever contemplated the Supreme Being, and which have been remarked in the distinguished Robert Boyle, and other men of great talent and genius. On one occasion Boswell repeated to him a smart epigrammatic song of his own composition, which had been set to music by Mr. Dibdin, on the procuration of Garrick ; but, because the words, "Oh, by my soul!"* occurred in it, Johnson said, "It is very well, Sir, but you should not swear." Upon which Boswell wisely altered those words to "Alas, alas!" Sir John Hawkins informs us, that when a person of some celebrity was using many oaths in his conversation, Johnson said,— "Sir, all this swearing will do nothing for our story:

An excellent little book on the Ten Commandments, by the Ven. Archdeacon Vickers (Rivingtons), may be consulted on this matter. Speaking of the Third Commandment, he says, "It forbids the sin of common cursing and swearing; and this, whether the sacred name of the Lord God himself is made use of, or any other set of words; as, 'By my life,' Upon my soul,' or any such expressions." See pages 47 and 49

Davies,

I beg you will not swear." The narrator continued to swear; Johnson said, "I must again entreat you not to swear." He swore again: Johnson quitted the room. On another occasion, at Dr. Taylor's, at Ashbourne, he was very angry with a gentleman farmer who swore in his discourse, and reprimanded him in the way best adapted to silence a vulgar man. who wrote the Life of Garrick, reminded him of Mr. Murphy, a celebrated actor, having paid him the highest compliment that ever was paid to a layman, by asking his pardon for repeating some oaths in the course of telling a story. Boswell was once suggesting, that probably more gentleness of manner might have added benefit to his conversations; "No, Sir," said Dr. Johnson, "I have done more good as I am. Obscenity and impiety have always been repressed in my company!" Boswell added, with characteristic withdrawal of an opinion, "True, Sir; and that is more than can be said of every bishop. Greater liberties have been taken in the presence of a bishop, though a very good man, from his being milder, and, therefore, not commanding such awe." There was an authority about Dr. Johnson's speech, and a readiness always to extinguish a flippant or impertinent speaker, that must often have stopped the utterance of a sentence, and consigned many a conception to prudent silence. We are told also, that he disapproved of introducing Scripture phrases into secular discourse. Boswell thinks this a question of some difficulty; and that, on some occasions, a scriptural expression, like a highly classical phrase, may be used to advantage. May we not ask,

whether much will not depend on the company, and on the nature of the conversation, in which it is used? Generally speaking, it would be improper, and, as regards any witty or light allusion, utterly reprehensible. The Scriptures are from heaven; their pages are those of holy inspiration; and the Word of God, as the name of God, should only be uttered by mortal man with the feelings and in the tone of sacred reverence. They are different from the works of God, which we treat of in common parlance, inasmuch as every thing around and about us is His work; and not to speak commonly of these, would be not to speak at all.

In the "Microcosm," a well-known Etonian publication, issued when Canning was an Eton boy, there is an article written by Canning himself, in which, as Hannah More observes, the practice of common swearing "is treated with a vein of ridicule, not unworthy of Addison in his happiest mood." She is surprised to find such "elegant ridicule, and wellsupported ironical pleasantry" in a youth, but she evidently knew not who the youth was; and herein we have a striking instance of "the boy the father of the man." But amid all Canning's pleasant ridicule, undertaken on the principle,

"Ridiculum acri

Fortius ac melius magnas plerumque secat res,”

this more serious reflection occurs:* "It has been observed," he writes, "by some ancient philosopher, or poet, or moralist, (no matter which,) that nothing

* Vol. i. No. 11, p. 14.