Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1822 edition. Excerpt: ... splendid talents had long made me ardently wish for his acquaintance; Dr. Nugent, Mr. Garrick, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. (afterwards Sir William) Jones, and the company with whom I had dined. Upon my entrance, Johnson placed himself behind a chair, on which he leaned as on a desk or pulpit, and with humourous formality gave me a Charge, pointing out the conduct expected from me as a good member of this club. Goldsmith produced some very absurd verses which had been publickly recited to an audience for money. Johnson. " I can match this nonsense. There was a poem called ' Eugenio, ' which came out some years ago, and concludes thus: ' And now, ye trifling, self-assuming elves, ' Brimful of pride, of nothing, of yourselves, ' Survey Eugenio, view him o'er and o'er, ' Then sink into yourselves, and be no more, '1 Nay, Dryden, in his poem on the Royal Society,5 has these lines: ' Then we upon our globe's last verge shall go, ' And see the ocean leaning on the sky; ' From thence our rolling neighbours we shall know, ' And on the lunar world securely pry.'" 2 Dr. Johnson's memory here was not perfectly accurate: " Eugenio " does not conclude thus. There are eight more lines after the last of those quoted by him; and the passage which he meant to recite is as follows: " Say now ye fluttering, poor assuming elves, " Stark full of pride, of folly, of--yourselves; " Say where's the wretch of all your impious crew 1' Who dares confront his character to view? " Behold Eugenio, view him o'er and o'er, " Then sink into yourselves, and be no more." Mr. Reed informs me that the Authour of Eugenio, Thomas Beech, a Wine Merchant at Wrexham in Denbighshire, soon after its publication, viz. 17th May, 1737, cut his own throat; and that it appears by Swift's...
