Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1851-07-18
1rftrrrN artirlrs.
courtship Of johnson.

SourSnlP Oh sOnnsou.
The following !. BOswell's account Of the
csurtsAip Of Dr JohnsOn. The incident at
teadias the marriage Is characteristics Of ''the
bear;
Ills juvenile attachments to the fair seS
were very transient.
In nan whom religious education has Sc
cured from liceniiOUs indoleeDOes, the passion
Of love, when once il has seized him, Is CT
eeodingly strong being unimPiired BY d'sa''
patton, and totally concentrated IN one object.
This was experienced by johnson when he
became the lcr,eu, aimirr Of Mrs. Porter,
after her first husbands death. Miss Porter
told me that When he was first introduced To
her mother his appearance was very f'tb'd'
ding he wa. then lean and lank. 80 that his
immsuse structure Cf hOncs was hitcously
striking to the eve, and the scars 81 the serOl-
ula were deeply visible. He also wOrc his
hair. which vas straight and stia, separated
behind and he often hal seemingly e"n'ul-
siye starts and cid ges,ieula,iOnS which irnded
to excite al once surprise and ridieule. Mr.
Porter was - much engaged with hts CONVEX
sation that she overlooked all ihc>c external
Disadvantages, and said 10 her daughter, e This
!, the NOS, sensible man | ever saw in my
life"
Though Mrs. Porter was dOublc the age Of
, johnson, and her Pcrson ana manner, as de-
scrbcd to me by the late Mt Gauick, were
by no means pleasing To others, she must
have had Superiority Of understanding and
talents, a. she certainly inspired him With a
more than ordinary passion AMI she having
signi6ed her willingness to accept Of his nand,
he went 10 Liich6clJ 10 ask his mothers c'n'
sen, TO the marriage, which be could not but
BE- conscious was very imPrudcu, scheme,
both On account of their disparity Of years
and her van, Of fortune But Mrs. JohnSnn
knew too well the ardor Of her sou's temper,
and vas too tender Parcn, To oppose h.s IN
elinaiions.
know not ior What reason the marriage
ceremony was not performed At birmingham /;
bu, a resolution Ms takcn ,ha,lt should be at
Derby. for which place the BRIDE and bride
groom ~, out on horseback, suppose IN 'crN
good humor. But, though NJ. ToPham
Bcauclcrk used archly 10 mention Johnson :
having told him With much gravity, "S'r II
vas love marriage 90 both sides, ! have
had from my illusuious friend the following
curious aecouu, of ihsir Iourncy tochurch up.
on the nuptial morn (9,h Julyl "Slr, she
had rad the old rumano,s and had Got into
her bead the fantastic notion ,ha, woman II
spiri, should 49, her lover Ike a dog 80,
sir. al the hr,, she told me that rode too al,
and she cuuld no, kccp Up With ne and ~hca
rude a little slower, she passed me aud con,
planned that Jagged behind. vas not la
b. made the slave Of caFucc anil resolved
Ia hcg.n a. mean, o. cod. therefore
pushed Ou br.skly, t,ll vas out II her sight.
The road lay between hedge, ~ | was sure
she could not miss u and lcUulr,ed lha, shc
should SOON come up With ne. When shc
did Observed her 10 h. in tears"
This Il must b, allowed vas a singular -
ginning Of counab,al felicity but ,hcie ), no
doubt that johnson, though h. thus showed
manly frmncss, proved a mus, aiIec,iUua,, aud
indulgcni husband to The lls, moment u Ms.
JohnsOn's he and IN be PRAYER, and Med
iiaton' We ind very remarkable evidence that
his regard and f,ndness Of her never CEASED,
even after her death.