The Portland daily press., 1881-01-03
MONDAY MORNING, JAN. 8.
DR., Johnson's Wife.

Lord Macaulay writes: Many people have
been surprised to see man Of his genius and
learning STOPPING to every drudgery, and de-
nying himself almost every comfort for the
purpose of supplying silly, affected old wom-
an with superfluities which she accepted with
but little gratitude. !" e q But is the pic
ture that Macaulay draws correct? Has he
not himself laid on the color thickly, and ad-
ded ceruse where, perhaps, there was already
ceruse enough? What are the authorities to
which he had access? None of Johnson's BIZ
ographers had ever seen the lady. All the
descriptions, therefore, that we have of her
are second-handed, except, indeed, few pas
sagcs in which johnson himself has described
her. What is known of her. however, is
chiefly from the anecdotes johnson told about
her, and from the accounts given of her to
the various biographers by her daughter. Miss
Porter, by Garrick, Hector, Hawkesworth
blind Miss Williams, Mrs. Desmoulins, and
old Mr.. Levett. She belonged to an old coun-
try family. In the register of her birth her
father is entered Esquire, at a time, too
when this title was not lightly given. John
son, on her tombstone. describes her as can
tiqua Jarvisiorum gente orta." Her family
bad once possessed nearly the whole lordship
of Great Peatling, (about 1000 acres,) in Lei
cestershire. She was born in February, 1859,
She had married mercer at Birmingham,
named Porter. When johnson made her ac-
quaintance her husband was still living. He
had an opportunity, therefore, of studying her
character at time when he could never have
dreamed of marrying her. Nor, in all likeli-
hood, was his judgement about women so un-
trained as Macaulay says. Likely enough he
chad seldom or never been in the same room
with a woman of real fashion," We may,
il passing, raise doubt whether the son of a
country tradesman, who had inherited from
his father Just f2O, and who had to make his
way in life, would have been guided in his
choice Of a wife by the sight even of half
score OF women of fashion. However, he had,
as We know, from his earliest years always
met with "a kind reception in the best fam
lilies at Litchfield." Among his friends he
reckoned his godfather, DIR. Swinfen, who is
described as being a gentleman of landed
property; Mr.. Levett, another gentleman of
fortune; Capt. Garrick the father of the great
actor; Mr.. Howard. proctor in the Ecclesi-
astical Court; and Mr.. Walmesley, the Reg
istrar. Mr.. Walmesley's father had been
Chancellor of the diocese and member for the
city. I'm most of these families writes Bos-
well, "he was in the the company of ladies'
particularly at Mr.. Walmsley's, whose wife
were remarkable for good breeding" johnson
was not likely ever in life to have to do with
the Queensberrys and Lappels. 1t mattered
little to him, therefore, what might be their
airs and graceS. But provincial airs and
graces-the airs and graces, that is to say,
which as much became ladies who spent their
wbolelife in the country, as courtly airs and
graces became ladies of st. James's--were sure
ly not unknown to HIM. But it may be urged
we are making the case still worse. II johnson
were not half blind; If he had mixed with
ladies of birth and breeding, how great must
the infatuation have been which led him to
marry tawdry, painted grandmother! We
must first ask that it shall be settled at what
age woman who has no grandchildren is
properly called grandmother. Mrs. johnson
She was born in February, 1859, and was mar
ried in July, 1875. Her case is certainly some-
what hard. She was but year beyond the
age OF the Duchess of Cleveland, when that
famous beauty is described by Macaulay as
mo longer young, but still retaining some
traces of that superb and voluptuons loyeli-
ness which 20 years before overcame the hearts
OF all men," Does the widow of Duke We
may fairly ask, become grandmother at the
age OF 46 as we'll as the widow of a mercer?
johnson himself was on his marriage day two
months short of 26. The difference in age was
certainly great enough. but surely not SO great
as to justify Macaulay' rhetoric. Neither is
it true, we believe, that she had children as
old rs himself There are only two children
of whom anything certain seems to be known.
Her daughter Lucy was six years Younger
than johnson. "She reverenced him. writes
Boswell, land he had a parental tenderness
for her." Lncy had brother who became a
Captain in the Royal Navy. He was, we be-
iieve, more than two years her Junior, and,
therefore, eight years younger than johnson.
The Cornhill Magazine.