thout any scheme of study, as chance threw books in his way, and
inclination directed him through them. He used to mention one curious
instance of his casual reading, when but a boy. Having imagined that his
brother had hid some apples behind a large folio upon an upper shelf
in his father's shop, he climbed up to search for them. There were no
apples; but the large folio proved to be Petrarch, whom he had seen
mentioned in some preface, as one of the restorers of learning. His
curiosity having been thus excited, he sat down with avidity, and read a
great part of the book. What he read during these two years he told
me, was not works of mere amusement, 'not voyages and travels, but
all literature, Sir, all ancient writers, all manly: though but little
Greek, only some of Anacreon and Hesiod; but in this irregular manner
(added he) I had looked into a great many books, which were not commonly
known at the Universities, where they seldom read any books but what are
put into their hands by their tutors; so that when I came to Oxford, Dr.
Adams, now master of Pembroke College, told me I was the best qualified
for the University that he had ever known come there.'

That a man in Mr. Michael Johnson's circumstances should think of
sending his son to the expensive University of Oxford, at his own
charge, seems very improbable. The subject was too delicate to question
Johnson upon. But I have been assured by Dr. Taylor that the scheme
never would have taken place had not a gentleman of Shropshire, one of
his schoolfellows, spontaneously undertaken to support him at Oxford, in
the character of his companion; though, in fact, he never received any
assistance whatever from that gentleman.

He, however, went to Oxford, and was entered a Commoner of Pembroke
College on the 31st of October, 1728, being then in his nineteenth year.

The Reverend Dr. Adams, who afterwards presided over Pembroke College
with universal esteem, told me he was present, and gave me some account
of what passed on the night of Johnson's arrival at Oxford. On that
evening, his father, who had anxiously accompanied him, found means to
have him introduced to Mr. Jorden, who was to be his tutor.

His father seemed very full of the merits of his son, and told the
company he was a good scholar, and a poet, and wrote Latin verses. His
figure and manner appeared strange to them; but he behaved modestly,
and sat silent, till upon something which occurred in the cour