n
allowed him.

The anxiety of his friends to preserve so estimable a life, as long as
human means might be supposed to have influence, made them plan for him
a retreat from the severity of a British winter, to the mild climate of
Italy[1009]. This scheme was at last brought to a serious resolution at
General Paoli's, where I had often talked of it. One essential matter,
however, I understood was necessary to be previously settled, which was
obtaining such an addition to his income, as would be sufficient to
enable him to defray the expence in a manner becoming the first literary
character of a great nation, and, independent of all his other merits,
the Authour of THE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. The person to
whom I above all others thought I should apply to negociate this
business, was the Lord Chancellor[1010], because I knew that he highly
valued Johnson, and that Johnson highly valued his Lordship; so that it
was no degradation of my illustrious friend to solicit for him the
favour of such a man. I have mentioned[1011] what Johnson said of him to
me when he was at the bar; and after his Lordship was advanced to the
seals[1012], he said of him, 'I would prepare myself for no man in
England but Lord Thurlow. When I am to meet with him I should wish to
know a day before[1013]'. How he would have prepared himself I cannot
conjecture. Would he have selected certain topicks, and considered them
in every view so as to be in readiness to argue them at all points? and
what may we suppose those topicks to have been? I once started the
curious enquiry to the great man who was the subject of this compliment:
he smiled, but did not pursue it.

I first consulted with Sir Joshua Reynolds, who perfectly coincided in
opinion with me; and I therefore, though personally very little known to
his Lordship, wrote to him[1014], stating the case, and requesting his
good offices for Dr. Johnson. I mentioned that I was obliged to set out
for Scotland early in the following week, so that if his Lordship should
have any commands for me as to this pious negociation, he would be
pleased to send them before that time; otherwise Sir Joshua Reynolds
would give all attention to it.

This application was made not only without any suggestion on the part of
Johnson himself, but was utterly unknown to him, nor had he the smallest
suspicion of it. Any insinuations, therefore, which since his death have
been thrown out, as if he had stooped to