to write has some
real cause, and shall be glad to know that you are not sick, and that
nothing ill has befallen dear Mrs. Boswell, or any of your family.

'I am, Sir, your, &c.

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'Lichfield, Nov. 5, 1784.'

Yet it was not a little painful to me to find, that in a paragraph of
this letter, which I have omitted, he still persevered in arraigning me
as before, which was strange in him who had so much experience of what I
suffered. I, however, wrote to him two as kind letters as I could; the
last of which came too late to be read by him, for his illness encreased
more rapidly upon him than I had apprehended; but I had the consolation
of being informed that he spoke of me on his death-bed, with affection,
and I look forward with humble hope of renewing our friendship in a
better world.

I now relieve the readers of this Work from any farther personal notice
of its authour, who if he should be thought to have obtruded himself too
much upon their attention, requests them to consider the peculiar plan
of his biographical undertaking.

Soon after Johnson's return to the metropolis, both the asthma and
dropsy became more violent and distressful. He had for some time kept a
journal in Latin of the state of his illness, and the remedies which he
used, under the title of _Aegri Ephemeris_, which he began on the 6th of
July, but continued it no longer than the 8th of November; finding, I
suppose, that it was a mournful and unavailing register. It is in my
possession; and is written with great care and accuracy.

Still his love of literature[1170] did not fail. A very few days before
his death he transmitted to his friend Mr. John Nichols, a list of the
authours of the _Universal History_, mentioning their several shares in
that work. It has, according to his direction, been deposited in the
British Museum, and is printed in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for
December, 1784.

During his sleepless nights he amused himself by translating into Latin
verse, from the Greek, many of the epigrams in the Anthologica[1171].
These translations, with some other poems by him in Latin, he gave to
his friend Mr. Langton, who, having added a few notes, sold them to the
booksellers for a small sum, to be given to some of Johnson's relations,
which was accordingly done; and they are printed in the collection of
his works.

A very erroneous notion has circulated as to Johnson's deficiency in the
knowledge of the Greek language