Some say it is impossible to honour too highly Dr. Johnson's memory. His friendship was sought for; to be introduced to him was esteemed a favour; a chat with him worth giving up an afternoon; his opinion in an argument carried great weight, and satisfied those who sought his advice. At Lichfield he was born, September 18th, 1709. His great mind, cramped and galled by narrow circumstances, led him to pen these lines:–

Lord Chesterfield, who flattered himself that Johnson would dedicate his “Dictionary” to him, attempted to efface the feeling of coldness he had shown to its learned author, and wrote two papers in The World in commendation of the work. Studied compliments, finely turned, he hoped would highly delight Johnson, to whom praise, in general, was pleasing. “It must be owned” (his words were) “that our language is in a state of anarchy, and hitherto it may not have been the worse for it. The time for discrimination seems now come. Good order and authority are now necessary. But where shall we find them? and, at the same time, the obedience due to them? We must have recourse to the Roman expedient in times of confusion, and choose a Dictator. Upon this principle I vote for Dr. Johnson to fill that great and arduous post, and hereby declare that I make a total surrender of all my rights and privileges in the English language, as a free-born English subject, to the said Dr. Johnson! More than this he cannot well require. His labours will very fully supply that want, and greatly contribute to the farther spreading of our language in other countries.”