those words which our blessed Lord used towards the woman with the box of ointment-and as she made an offering at the head of Christ, he would offer all he had at His feet! Joyous will it be for every man whose faith and work can justify a personal application of the simple announcement, to be uttered by Divine voice only,-He hath done what he could!

Hannah More tells us,* as informed by the Rev. Mr. Storry, of Colchester, that Dr. Johnson, not to be comforted by the ordinary topics of consolation addressed to him, desired to see a clergyman, and particularly described the views and character of the person whom he wished to consult. After some consideration, a Mr. Winstanley was named, and the Doctor requested Sir John Hawkins to write a note in his name, requesting Mr. Winstanley's attendance as a minister.

Mr. Winstanley,† who was in a very weak state of health, was quite overpowered on receiving the note, and felt appalled by the very thought of encountering

* For this account see Memoirs of Hannah More, vol. i. p. 378, &c. This was the Rev. Thomas Winstanley, Canon Residentiary of Peterborough, a Canon of St. Paul's, and Rector of St. Dunstan's in the East. He was an excellent preacher, but a man of most reserved and retired manners. Notwithstanding his studious and peaceful habits, he on three occasions exerted himself to the utmost in public; first, by advocating the cause of Admiral Byng, whom he considered unjustly condemned to death by the memorable Court-martial; secondly, by endeavouring to save the life of Dr. Dodd, convicted of forgery; and thirdly, by advocating the repeal of the laws against the Jews, disabling them from the exercise of civil rights. He was the author of the "Christian Calling," and of "Meditations," and in his latter days he had a strong leaning to what were called Evangelical principles.

He married the widow of Colonel Braithwaite; and I may be permitted to mention that the writer of this book is his great-grandson,

the talents and learning of Dr. Johnson. In his embarrassment, he went to his friend Colonel Pownall, and told him what had happened, asking at the same time for his advice how to act. The Colonel, who was a pious man, urged him immediately to follow what appeared to be a remarkable leading of Providence, and for the time argued his friend out of his nervous apprehension: but after he had left Colonel Pownall, Mr. Winstanley's fear returned in so great a degree, as to prevail upon him to abandon the thought of a personal interview with Dr. Johnson.

quence to write him a letter; as repeated by Mr. Storry to follows:

He determined in conseand part of that letter, Hannah More, was as

"Sir, I beg to acknowledge the honour of your note, and am very sorry that the state of my health prevents my compliance with your request; but my nerves are so shattered, that I feel as if I should be quite confounded by your presence, and instead of promoting, should only injure the cause in which you desire my aid. Permit me, therefore, to write what I should wish to say were I present. I can easily conceive what would be the subjects of your inquiry. I can conceive that the views of yourself have changed with your condition, and that on the near approach of death, what you once considered mere peccadilloes have risen into mountains of guilt, while your best actions have dwindled into nothing. On whichever side you look, you see only positive transgressions or defective obedience; and hence, in self-despair, are eagerly inquiring, 'What shall I do to be saved?' I say to you, in

the language of the Baptist, Behold the Lamb of God!""&c.

When Sir John Hawkins came to this part of Mr. Winstanley's letter, Dr. Johnson interrupted him, anxiously asking,-" Does he say so? Read it again! Sir John." Sir John complied; upon which Dr. Johnson said," I must see that man; write again to him." A second note was accordingly sent; but even this repeated solicitation could not prevail over Mr. Winstanley's fears. He was led, however, to write again to the Doctor, renewing and enlarging upon the subject of his first letter; and these communications, together with the conversation of the late Mr. La Trobe, who was a particular friend of Dr. Johnson, appear to have been blessed by God in bringing this great man to a renunciation of self, and a simple reliance on Jesus as his Saviour, thus also communicating to him that peace which he had found the world could not give, and which, when the world was fading from his view, was to fill the void, and dissipate the gloom, even of the valley of the shadow of death.

If this account be a true one, and if the letters of Mr. Winstanley were blessed to Dr. Johnson's soul, we have no reason to deplore his non-attendance; only remarking that such non-attendance was inexcusable save and except on the valid plea of ill-health and shattered nerves. Dr. Johnson, from the description evidently given him of this clergyman, would have expected much instruction and consolation from his presence; and it would have been sad, if from bodily

weakness, the powers of his mind had forsaken him; but still a minister of God is to go forth in prayer and hope, and venture to trust that strength will be granted him sufficient for the important duty he has undertaken in all humility.

Every clergyman may with propriety recollect, that the preparation for the future life is quite a different matter from the possession of great talents in the present time. Wilberforce speaks of the poem entitled the "Curse of Kehama," and describes it thus:"imagination as wild as the winds; prodigious command of language, and the moral purity truly sublime ; the finest ideas all taken from the Scriptures;" and he continues afterwards,-"Oh! what a consideration is it, that magnificent as are the visions of glory in which Southey's fancy revels, and which his creative genius forms, they are all beneath the simple reality of the Christian's hope, if he be but duly impressed with it." Yes, truly, the Christian's hope is a simple, as it is a humbling possession: and the clergyman who should attend at the last on a Johnson or a Southey, need not be as profound in learning as the one, or as sublimely poetical as the other; neither would they themselves desire such qualities in their spiritual comforters, if their greatness be tempered with humility. The pastor is commissioned to open the Word of God, which is so far superior to any words of man; and from this he is authorized to draw his sublime yet simple lessona lesson which is not effectual unless it tend to debase the vanity of human talent, and tarnish every proud thought of moral excellence.

CHAPTER XXIII.

BRIEF REVIEW OF HIS CHARACTER AND DEATH.

We have now only to take a very brief review of Dr. Johnson's character, and of his death. All men that are in any degree acquainted with English literature, have heard the name of Dr. Johnson, and have perused his Works. He, like other foremost writers, had a style of his own-dangerous to imitate, and not, but for the excellence attained, and the weight of the moral sentiments conveyed by it, altogether acceptable for the improvement of our literature. He used to say of Addison, "He is the Raphael of Essay writers ;" and yet he himself in no way endeavoured to adopt the elegant simplicity, and more idiomatic manner of Addison's writing. Johnson will always be regarded as the very antipodes of Addison. Addison, says Murphy,* lends grace and ornament to truth; Johnson gives it force and energy. Addison makes virtue amiable; Johnson represents it as an awful duty. Addison insinuates himself with an air of modesty: Johnson commands like a dictator; but a dictator in his splendid robes, not labouring at the plough.

From an Essay on the Life and Genius of Dr. Johnson, by Arthur Murphy, Esq., a continued friend of Johnson's, and a member of the Essex Head Club.