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 discovered, notwithstanding, early symptoms of that wandering disposition of mind which adhered to him to the end of his life. His reading was by fits and starts, undirected to any particular science x. General philology, agreeably to his cousin Ford's advice, was the object of his ambition. He received, at that time, an early impression of piety 2, and a taste for the best authors ancient and modern. It may, notwithstanding, be ques tioned whether, except his Bible, he ever read a book entirely through. Late in life, if any man praised a book in his pre sence, he was sure to ask, ' Did you read it through ? ' If the answer was in the affirmative, he did not seem willing to believe it 3. He continued at the university till the want of pecuniary supplies obliged him to quit the place. He obtained, however, the assistance of a friend, and returning in a short time was able to complete a residence of three years 4. The history of his exploits at Oxford, he used to say, was best known to Dr. Taylor and Dr. Adams 5. Wonders are told of his memory, and, indeed, all who knew him late in life can witness that he retained that faculty in the greatest vigour 6.

From the university Johnson returned to Lichfield. His father died soon after, December 1731 ; and the whole receipt out of his effects, as appeared by a memorandum in the son's hand-writing, dated i5th June, 1732, was no more than twenty pounds 7. In

1 Hawkins, p. 12. which never took place, attributes

2 Hawkins (p. 18) fathers these Johnson's maintenance at college to ' sentiments of piety ' on ' the order ' the bounty, as it is supposed, of and discipline of a college life. . . some one or more of the members the early calls to prayers, the fre- of the Cathedral [of Lichfield].' quent instructions from the pulpit, Murphy goes a step further and with all the other means of religious speaks positively of a friend.

and moral improvement.' Johnson 5 Ante, p. 166.

told Boswell that it was reading 6 See Life, v. 368, for a singular

Law's Serious Call to a Holy Life proof of his memory at the age of

which { was the first occasion of his sixty-four, and ante, p. 437.

thinking in earnest of religion after 7 The entry of this is remarkable

he became capable of rational in- for his early resolution to preserve

quiry.' Life, i. 68. through life a fair and upright char-

3 Ante, p. 319. acter : '1732, Junii 15. Undecim

4 Hawkins (p. 16), in accounting aureos deposui, quo die, quidquid for this second period of residence, ante matris funus (quod serum sit

this

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