Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies II.djvu/265

 influence of Nature herself. For I have often heard him lament that he inherited from his Father a morbid disposition both of Body and Mind x. An oppressive melancholy which robb'd him of the common enjoyment of life 2.

Indeed, he seemed to struggle almost incessantly with some mental evil, and often, by the expression of his countenance and the motion of his lips, appeared to be offering up some ejaculation to Heaven to remove it. But in Lent, or near the approach of any great festival, he would generally retire from the company to a corner of the room, but most commonly behind a window- curtain, to pray, and with such energy, and in so loud a whisper, that every word was heard distinctly, particularly the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed, with which he constantly con cluded his devotions. Sometimes some words would emphatically escape him in his usual tone of voice 3.

At these holy seasons he usually secluded himself more from society than at other times, at least from general and mixed society, and on a gentleman's sending him an invitation to dinner on Easter-eve he was highly offended, and expressed himself so in his answer 4.

On every occasion that had the least tendency to depreciate Religion or morality, he totally disregarded all forms or rules of good-breeding, as utterly unworthy of the slightest consideration. But it must be confess'd, that he sometimes suffered this noble principle to transgress its due bounds, and to degenerate into prejudices unworthy of his character, extending even to those who were anywise connected with the person who had offended him.

One day, the Brother of a gentleman 5 for whom Dr. Johnson

1 'I inherited (said he) a vile self offended. Letters,]., 188. There melancholy from my father, which has is nothing to show that he kept any made me mad all my life, at least part of Lent but Passion Week, and not sober.' Life, v. 215 ; ante, i. 148. even that he did not always keep

2 This last paragraph was originally strictly. Ante, i. 82. See Life, iv. written ' terrifying melancholy, which 89, for the admirable sophistry ' he was sometimes apprehensive bor- of his defence for twice dining at dered on insanity.' a Bishop's in that week.

3 Ante, i. 439; Life, i. 483. 5 The two men were Israel and

4 With the Rev. Dr. Taylor, who John Wilkes. Israel Wilkes settled invited him to dinner on the last in New York. Almon's Memoirs of day of Lent, he did not show him- John Wilkes, i. 3.

VOL. II. S had

�� �