fhewn them at Suaquem, an ifland in the Red Sea, terms of ranfom were proposed to them, which, though exorbitant, they were forced to accept; and, after furmounting many obftacles and perils, that part of the miffion with which Lobo was engaged, returned to Goa.

The revenge, which it was reported in Abyffinia, the court of Portugal meditated, rendered a people naturally inhuman, ferocious: the remaining miffionaries experienced ftill harder fate than Lobo and his companions; many were put to death, and the whole fraternity fo completely extirpated, that, after many efforts, all attempts to make a catholic people of the Abyffins were abandoned, as chimerical and impracticable.

The differtations at the end of this work, and which Johnfon feems to eftimate highly, contain variety of information and controverfial learning, particularly respecting the difference between the church that fent the miffion, and that which received it, and point out very clearly the inutility of endeavours founded on the principles of the Jefuits.

Having completed this tranflation, which I conjecture he was paid for by fome bookfeller of Birmingham, who published it in an octavo volume, Johnfon, in February 1733-4, left that place, and returned to Lichfield, from whence, in the month of Auguft following, he iffued a propofal, foliciting a fubfcription to an edition of Politian's Poems *, with this title, Angeli Politiani Poemata Latina, quibus notas, cum

.

* The propofal notifies, that fubfcriptions would be taken in by N. [Nathanael] Johnfon, who had fucceeded to his father's bafiness.

• Hiftoria

Hiftoria Latina Poefeos a Petrarchæ ævo ad Poli'tiani tempora deducta, et Vita Politiani fufius quam ⚫ antehac enarrata, addidit Sam. Johnfon.' The book was to be contained and printed in thirty octavo fheets, and delivered at the price of five fhillings; but not meeting with fufficient encouragement, Johnson dropped the defign.

way

From the above particulars it evidently appears, that he had entertained a refolution to depend for a livelihood upon what he should be able, either in the of original composition, or translation, or in edit, ing the works of celebrated authors, to procure by his ftudies, and, in short, to become an author by profeffion; an occupation, which, though it may, in fome views of it, be deemed mercenary, as adapting itself to particular occafions and conjunctures, nay, to the interests, paffions and prejudices, and even humours of mankind, has yet fome illuftrious examples, at least in our times, to justify it. It is true, that many perfons distinguish between thofe writings which are the effect of a natural impulfe of genius, and those other that owe their exiftence to interested motives, and, being the offspring of another parent, may, in fome fenfe, be faid to be illegitimate; but, Johnfon knew of no fuch diftinction, and would never acquiesce in it when made by others: on the contrary, have, more than once, heard him affert, that he knew of no genuine motive for writing, other than neceffity.

I

In the prosecution of this his defign, he, in the year, 1734, made a tender of affistance to Cave, the editor, printer, and publisher of the Gentleman's Magazine; a man of whom I fhall hereafter have

3

frequent

frequent occafion to fpeak. to Cave, on this occafion, is given as a literary curiofity:

• SIR,

The letter of Johnfon yet extant, and is here

Nov. 25, 1734.

As you appear no lefs fenfible than your readers, of the defect of your poetical article, you will not be displeased, if, in order to the improvement of it, I ⚫ communicate to you the fentiments of a perfon, who will undertake, on reasonable terms, fometimes to fill a column.

His opinion is, that the public would not give you a bad reception, if, befide the current wit of the month, which a critical examination would generally reduce to a narrow compafs, you admitted, not only poems, infcriptions, &c. never printed before, which he will fometimes fupply you with, but likewife fhort literary differtations in Latin or English, critical remarks on authors ancient or modern, forgotten poems that deferve revival, or loofe pieces, like Floyer's, worth preferving. By this method, your Literary Article, for fo it might be called, will, he thinks, be better recommended to the public, than by low jefts, aukward buffoonery, or the dull fcurrilities of either party.

If fuch a correspondence will be agreeable to you, be pleafed to inform me, in two pofts, what the conditions are on which you fhall expect it. Your late offer gives me no reason to diftruft your generofity. If you engage in any literary projects befides this

A prize of fifty pounds for the best poem on Life, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.'

paper,

paper, I have other designs to impart, if I could be fecure from having others reap the advantage of 'what I fhould hint.

Your letter, by being directed to S. Smith, to be < left at the Castle in Birmingham, Warwickshire, will ' reach

Your humble fervant.' *

To this letter Cave returned an answer, dated 2d December following, wherein he accepted the fervices of Johnson, and retained him as a correfpondent and a contributor to his Magazine.

This correspondence exhibits a view of the Gentleman's Magazine in its rudiments, and may excite a curiofity in the patrons thereof, to trace back to its origin the publication of a miscellany, the fame whereof has extended itself to the most remote parts of the literary world. Hiftories of the learned men of modern times, and short abridgments of their works, as alfo fuch pieces as for their brevity required fome vehicle to convey them to pofterity, it has been the practice of foreign countries, in their memoirs, and of universities and academies, in their acts and tranfactions, to give. The historical and memorable diurnal events of the paffing times, have alfo been recorded in publications variously denominated, particularly, in a work, entitled the Political State of Great Britain, beginning with the year 1711, and compiled by the well known Abel Boyer. In this are contained debates and speeches in parliament; and also, abstracts of po

This letter, and Cave's answer to it, may serve to refute an affertion in an anonymous account of Johnson's life, that he was introduced to the acquaintance of Cave by Savage.

litical

litical pamphlets; but of a work that fhould comprehend intelligence of both thefe kinds, we know of no exemplar in this country, earlier than the year 1716, when an essay towards such a one was made in the publication of a book, entitled The Historical Regifter, containing, an impartial relation of all tranfactions foreign and domeftic, by a body of men, from whom few would have expected any thing of the kind. In fhort, the editors of the Historical Register, were the members of a fociety, affociated about the year above-mentioned, for the purpose of insurance from fire, which, from the badge affumed by them, obtained the denomination of the Sun-fire-Office, and is ftill fubfifting in a flourishing ftate. One of the managing perfons in this fociety, was, if my information misleads me not, a man of the name of Povey, who, by the way, was a great improver of that useful project, the Penny Poft,* and died within my memory. Having a scheming head, a plaufible tongue, and a ready pen, he prevailed on his fellow-members to undertake the above publication, foreign as it was to the nature of their inftitution. In Strype's continuation of Stow's Survey, I find the following article refpecting this fociety: All perfons taking out policies for infurance, muft pay two fhillings and fix-pence per quarter; and, befides their infurance, fhall have a book, called the Hiftorical Regifter, left every quarter at their house.'

с

The Hiftorical Regifter gave alfo an account of the proceedings of Parliament: the firft volume contains

The original inventor thereof was one Mr. Dockwra, a citizen of fuch eminence, that he ftood for the office of Chamberlain, againit Sir Wm. Fazakerley.

the