Page:Johnsonian Miscellanies II.djvu/454

 446 Letters of Dr. Johnson.

the text, and the text will frequently be refused while it is any man's property.

I am, Sir, Your humble Servant,

SAM: JOHNSON.

March 7, 1774.

To JAMES MACPHERSON'.

MR. JAMES MACPHERSON, I received your foolish and im pudent note. Whatever insult is offered me I will do my best to repel, and what I cannot do for myself the law will do for me. I will not desist from detecting what I think a cheat from any fear of the menaces of a Ruffian.

You want me to retract. What shall I retract? I thought your book an imposture from the beginning, I think it upon yet surer reasons an imposture still. For this opinion I give the publick my reasons which I here dare you to refute.

But however I may despise you, I reverence truth, and if you can prove the genuineness of the work I will confess it. Your rage I defy, your abilities since your Homer are not so formidable, and what I have heard of your morals disposes me to pay regard not to what you shall say, but what you can prove.

You may print this if you will.

SAM: JOHNSON.

Jan. 20, 1775. To Mr. James Macpherson.

1 This copy of Johnson's letter to ' MR. JAMES MACPHERSON,

Macpherson I owe to the kindness of ' I received your foolish and im-

Mrs. Archer-Hind of Little Newn- pudent letter. Any violence offered

ham, Cambridge, who possesses a me I shall do my best to repel ;

tracing of the original made by her and what I cannot do for myself, the

father, the late Mr. Lewis Pocock. law shall do for me. I hope I never

At the sale of Mr. Pocock's auto- shall be deterred from detecting what

graphs, on May 10, 1875, the original I think a cheat, by the menaces of

fetched ,50. Letters, i. 307. a ruffian.

The copy printed in the Life, ii. * What would you have me retract ?

298, was dictated to Boswell by John- I thought your book an imposture;

son from memory. It runs as fol- I think it an imposture still. For

lows : this opinion I have given my reasons

To

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