The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-21
DIR. Johuson,s Humanity.


Literature in our day is perhaps as re-
munerative to its generals and captains as
any other profession, but the rank and
file of journalists and authors, if poorly
paid now, may be accounted wealthy
when compared with professional writers
century ago. In these days the merest
literary hack can afford to "live cleanly,"
and man with tenth part of Johnson's
capacity and knowledge would be assur, d
of fair income, but johnson for many
years could barely gain a subsistence,
"Sixpences" he once said, "were scarce
with him in those days." and he records
how he used to dine at an ordinary
for eightpcnce. 1t would seem
that he had not always the means
even for this frugal meal, and it is
possible that, like the artist-friend of his
whose career is described in the cart of
Living in London" he was only able to
20 abroad and pay visits on clean-shirt-
day. Sometimes he was dinnerless, some
times homeless, and sometimes, like
Fielding and other men of letters, of the
period, was incarcerated in sponging-
houses. 1t must be remembered, too,
that the difficulties arising from the res
augusta domi We're not overcome after a
brief struggle with fortune, but contin-
ned in greater or less severity, through a
large portion of his life. When, at the
age of fifty, he sent his mother 912, half
that sum was borrowed from a printer,
and when the old lady died, at the ripe
age of ninety, johnson wrote "Rasselas"
in the evenings of one week in order to
defray the expense of her tu-
neral and some little debts which
she had left. Johnson's impecuniosity
must be borne in mind, if we would form
Just idea of his character. A man who
had struggled SO long with fortune, and
had associated with such Bohcmians AS
Boyse and Savage, was not likely to es-
cape from the conflict without scars, and
his roughness and occasional want of con-
sideration for the smaller courtesies and
troubles of life may be traced to this
cause. He had no sympathy with tears
wept over lap-dogs; he was shrewd
enough to see that the fretful and jealous
cares, which take the charm from exis-
tence, are hest relieved by conscientious
labor, but he had a heart open as day to
the demands of friendship, and real sor-
row had no truer or more sympathizing
friend. Getting money" he once S id,
''is not all mans business-to cultivate
kindness is a valuable part of the busi-
ness of life" Extreme want and the Sc
we're tax upon the energies involved in
escaping from poverty to competence,
are apt to make man close in his pc
cuniary dealings. The discipline he had
undergone produced contrary ef-
feet upon Johnson. "He loved
the poor" said Mrs. Piozzi, "as |
never yet saw any one else do" to them
he gave considerable part Of his income,
and, not content with alms-giving, he
followed literally y the Gospel preeept by
assembling within his house the halt, the
manned and the blind. Macaulay, by
the way, observes that the chief recon-
mendations of Mrs. Williams, whom he
had placed at the head of his establish
ment, were her blindness and her power
ty; but it may be remembered that Han
nah More speaks highly of that lady's
conversation, that Boswell credits her
with more than ordinary talents and
literalurc,a and that shei, termed by Haw-
kins woman of an enlightened under
standing. Johnson's partiality for Levett,
who in early life was waiter at coffee
house in Paris and afterward gained
some smattering of physic, is more re-
markable, for neither in manners nor in
conversation had this grotesque-hoking
man any hing to boast Of. But he had
known Levett in the days of his own
poverty, he appreciated his integrity,
and when, after residence of twenty
years under his friends roof, the pool
man died, johnson honored his memory
with the nobleet kind of monument.