Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies I.djvu/379

 ' Obtain/ says Ford, ' some general principles of every science : he who can talk only on one subject, or act only in one de partment, is seldom wanted, and, perhaps, never wished for ; while the man of general knbwledge can often benefit, and always please 1 .' This advice Johnson seems to have pursued with a good inclination. His reading was always desultory, seldom resting on any particular author, but rambling from one book to another, and, by hasty snatches, hoarding up a variety of knowledge. It may be proper in this place to mention another general rule laid down by Ford for Johnson's future conduct :. ' You will make your way the more easily in the world, as you are contented to dispute no man's claim to conversation-excel lence : they will, therefore, more willingly allow your pretensions as a writer 2 .' ' But/ says Mrs. Piozzi, ' the features of peculiarity, which mark a character to all succeeding generations, are slow in coming to their growth.' That ingenious lady adds, with her usual vivacity, ' Can one, on such an occasion, forbear recollecting the predictions of Boileau's father, who said, stroking the head of the young satirist, " this little man has too much wit, but he will never speak ill of any one " 3 ? '

On Johnson's return from Cornelius Ford, Mr. Hunter, then Master of the Free-school at Lichfield, refused to receive him again on that foundation 4. At this distance of time, what his reasons were, it is vain to enquire : but to refuse assistance to a lad of promising genius must be pronounced harsh and illiberal. It did not, however, stop the progress of the young student's education. He was placed at another school, at Stourbridge in Worcestershire, under the care of Mr. Wentworth 5. Having gone through the rudiments of classic literature, he returned to his father's house, and was probably intended for the trade of a bookseller. He has been heard to say that he could bind

1 Ante, p. 155. 3 According to Mrs. Piozzi, Boi-

2 It was not a general rule laid leau's father said : ' Ce petit bon down by Ford, but his observa- homme n'a point trop d'esprit/ &c. tion of Johnson's character. He Ante, p. 155.

said : ' You will make your way the 4 Hawkins's Johnson, p. 8. more easily in the world, / see,' &c. 5 Ante, p. 159, n. 3. Ante, ib.

a book.

�� �