emnity of
which, difficult as it would be in any sort to find terms to express, so
to you, my dear Sir, whose own sensations will paint it so strongly, it
would be of all men the most superfluous to attempt to--.'--CROKER.
The interruption of the note was perhaps due to a discovery made by
Langton. Hawkins says, 'at eleven, the evening of Johnson's death, Mr.
Langton came to me, and in an agony of mind gave me to understand that
our friend had wounded himself in several parts of the body.' Hawkins's
_Life_, p. 590. To the dying man, 'on the last day of his existence on
this side the grave the desire of life,' to use Murphy's words (_Life_,
p. 135), 'had returned with all its former vehemence.' In the hope of
drawing off the dropsical water he gave himself these wounds (see
_ante_, p. 399). He lost a good deal of blood, and no doubt hastened his
end. Langton must have suspected that Johnson intentionally
shortened his life.

[1270] Servant to the Right Honourable William Windham. BOSWELL.

[1271] Sir Joshua Reynolds and Paoli were among the mourners. Among the
Nichols papers in the British Museum is preserved an invitation card to
the funeral.

[1272] Dr. Burney wrote to the Rev. T. Twining on Christmas Day,
1784:--'The Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey lay all the blame on
Sir John Hawkins for suffering Johnson to be so unworthily interred. The
Knight's first inquiry at the Abbey in giving orders, as the most acting
executor, was--"What would be the difference in the expense between a
public and private funeral?" and was told only a few pounds to the
prebendaries, and about ninety pairs of gloves to the choir and
attendants; and he then determined that, "as Dr. Johnson had no music in
him, he should choose the cheapest manner of interment." And for this
reason there was no organ heard, or burial service sung; for which he
suffers the Dean and Chapter to be abused in all the newspapers, and
joins in their abuse when the subject is mentioned in conversation.'
Burney mentions a report that Hawkins had been slandering Johnson.
_Recreations and Studies of a Country Clergyman of the XVIII Century_,
p. 129. Dr. Charles Burney, jun., had written the day after the
funeral:--'The executor, Sir John Hawkins, did not manage things well,
for there was no anthem or choir service performed--no lesson--but
merely what is read over every old woman that is buried by the parish.
Dr. Taylor read the service but so-so.' Johnstone's _