The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-28
fs,ap,-- tlo'nI, Scientific, / ji,torisnI.
An Original WHIG Feature.
ANNA SBWAhD AND DIR. JOHNSON,

Lichfield is an ancient cathedral town
in picturesque region of England. In
its grammar school Addison, DR.. John
son and Garrick were educated, and in
Lichfieid Johnson was born.
A little more than hundred years ago
| there was distinguished literary circle |
| at Llchfield, composed of DR.. Erasmus
Darwin, author of The Botanic Gar
den," and grandfather of the champion
OF evolution in our day; Thomas Hay
ley, author of "The Triumphs of Tenn
per- Sir Brooke Boothby, who wrote
"Fables and Satires;" Richard Lowell
E1geworth; Thomas Day, the eccentric
| philosopher, and author of 'Sandford
and Merton, once as popular as ''Robin-
son Crusoe;" the blind 9nd ill-humored
Miss Anna Williams, the biographer of
the Emperor Julian, who long enjoyed
the hospitality of Dr. johnson; and
other residents or occasional sojourners
at that pleasant borough.
Auna Seward was the central and most
constellation. She was charming in per-
son and in cOny ersation, graceful in man.
ners, witty and winning in all her ways
at that time, and was already known as
clever poet, though only about twenty
years of age. Her father, Thomas Sew
ard, was the canon resident of Lichfield
| Cathedral. He dwelt in the Bishops
palace, and his house was the gathering
place of these congenial friends. Miss
| Seward was made somewhat concerted
by the hattery and over-prase of her
friends and admirers. Iudeed the whole
circle formed a mutual admiration So
ciety, and excited the gentle ridicule of
their London contemporaries. Sharp
epigrams, squibs and sarcastic sonnets
were aimed at them, especially at Miss
Seward and her feminine literary friends.
| Horace Walpole wrote in 1,16: "NIisses
| Seward and Williams and half dozen
more Of these harmonious virgins have
no imagination, no novelty. Their
| thoughts and phrases are like their
| gowns-odd remnants cut and turned"
In the family of Mr.. Seward lived
| Honora Sneyd,a beautiful young maiden,
and companion of his daughter. She
was lovely in person and in character
John Andre, handsome and cultivated
youth from London, first saw her at
little village near Lichfield, with the
Sewards and was desperately enamored
with her at first sight. She reciprocated
his passion. The romantic Miss Seward,
some years Honoras senior, was de-
lighted. The lovers became betrothed. |
Prudential reasons caused an agreement
for long postponement of their Dup-
tials. Andre returned to London, hun
dred miles from the maiden, carrying
with him a miniature likeness of her
which he had sketched. A correspond
ence between Miss Seward and young
Andre ensned, of which Honora was the |
chief burden. Separation cooled the
ardor of the young lady's love for Andre,
and in course Of time she married Rich |
ard Lowell Edgeworth, one of the Lich-
field Literary Circle, and became the |
mother of Maria Edgeworth, the novel
writer. Andre came to America, carry |
ing in his bosom the nj: mature of Honora |
suspended from his neck. His sad fate
as major Andre is well known; his |
memorial is in Westminster Abbey.
After the tragic death of her charming |
correspondent, Miss Seward wrote her
best-known poem-''Monody on Major
Andre"-which greatly pleased DIR.
Johnson, who was rank Tory. He fire.
quently visited Lichfeld, was often the
guest of Cauon Seward, and admired the
genius of his daughter. Boswell, John
cons shadow, writing of a visit at Mr..
Stewards in 1115, said. "And now, for
the first time, had the pleasure of see
ing his celebrated daughter, Miss Anna
Seward, to whom | have since been in
depted for many civilities." johnson
INDUCED ferocious hatred of Ameri-
cans. On one occasion, while at Lich-
field, he said, 81 am willing to love all |
mankind except an American" He |
called them "rascals,' robbers and pi- |
rates" and angrily exclaimed, cpd burn
and destroy them" Miss Seward, who
was present, and who favored the Ameri-
can cause, boldly rebuked him, saying, |
Sir, this is an instance that we are al |
ways most violent against those we havo
most injured" This delicate but keen |
reproach irritated johnson still more,
and, says Boswell, she roared out an
other tremendous volley, which one
might fancy could be heard across the |
Atlantic" But Anna Seward and DR.. |
Johnson remained good friends. They |
corresponded with each other, and fire.
uuentiy met in social circles. Her "NIon-
ody on Major Andre" appeared in 17s1,
and contained the lines:
" Remember, Washington! the day shall |
OF deep repentance for this barbarous
doom,
When injured Andres memory shall in.
spirc
\ kndling Army with resistless fire.
Each falchion sharpen that the Britons
WELD,
And lead their fiercest Lion to the field. |
Then, when each hope of thine shall set
in night,
When dubious dread and unavailing flight |
Impel your Host, thy guilt-upbraided |
soul
shall wish untouch d the sacred Life you
stole;
And when thy Heart arpall'd and van
quish'd Pride
Shall vainly ask for mercy they denied,
With horror shalt thou meet the fate they
gave,
Nor Pity gild the darkness of thy grave"
The "Monody" SO delighted DR.. John
son that he wrote the following poetic
epistle to the author, and published it in
the GentlemaR's MgazsHe over his sigma
ture:
| "TO MISS SEWARD ON HER MONODY ON
NNnREP