The Portland daily press., 1890-01-27

->xzss& 80 his rather aud his mothers
straitened means, then compelled him to
seek employment for himself ia his native
town. and he became usher in school, aud
wrote translati0ns for a publisher, but with
little success. He soon married a widow
much older than himself, whose memory he
always hOnOred, though she lived but twelve
years, a reat portion of which time he was
compelled TO spend away from her In Lon.
don. Her little fortune sufficing tn allow of
his taking house In Lichfeld and opening
there school of his own, he attempted again
to establish himself In business; but this
was failure, and soon. with one of his pll-
pills, named Davy Garrick he journeyed to
London, to try his fortune Ia the great me-
trOD0is.
He was now twenty-eight years old; and
was compelled to labor for magazines and
booksellers, with meagrp returns 80 that
for twenty-five years after his arrival, he re-
mains poor. befriended by men like Richard
Savage, his first companion, who wandered
homeless like him, often all the night through
London streets; with Richardson, whose
novel Pamela" made sen sati0n and awOke
he laughter and ire Of Harry Fielding; with
Goldsmith. whose talents found In him a
helpful and encouraging friend; and. fually,
with Boswell, his famous hographer
Soon his writings. such a. "Rlsselas," the
Rambler" his earlier poems. and his die
ti0nary Won him fame, and a pension If
$500 from the government allowed him tn
live IN comparative ease. Thus the last 20
years OF his life show him In his happest
state, the acknowledged leader Of literary
society, and the critic whose judgments were
coveted and feared. He was seen often in
the elegant drawing rooms Of Mrs Elz lbeth
Montagu, Mrs. ThIale, Sir Joshua Reynolds.
now grown to be the greatest actor OF his
time. AMI a successful leader also, 10 the in
tellectual society around him But his hap
piest hours were still spent at the clubs, and
by tavern fires, where, amid throng of the
wits and writers, he dscoursed on the poll
tics Of the day, the foreign war. and the war
fare between Richardson and Fielding.
Then ne had his own little household in
Bolt Court, and went regularly to church at
ST. Clement Danes, where his seat In the gal
ery Is still pointed out to American visitors.
He died in 1874, and was buried at Westmin-
ster Abbey. His statue Is to be seen, by
Flaxman, in St. PauPs church, and in the
main square OF his native town. But his
best monument Is the biography Oy Boswell,
which the world still loves to read
:, Mrs. Woolson,s subject proved a charming
theme. and one hour easily crept to two, with
the listeners interest unabated. The lee
turer has delightful gifts Of voice and man
ner, and talked Of 18th century literature
with enthusiasm and freshness. The
dates and facts in Johnsons life were
hlled 10 with descriptions of scenery and
bits OF personal history. II l. pretty story,
that OF Mrs. Sidd0ns visit to the old doctor
when bis social life in London fashionable
circles was ended by his own illness and
generally feeble condition aud his fine
friends were more or less neglectfui of their
distinguished associate. Mrs. Siddons-heI
carriage awaiting her below-entered almost
unann0unced. The good Doctor had much
tn do to scramble papers and various literary
paraphernalla into some sort of tidiness At
length, pausing, he exclaimed, "Ah. my dear
Madaml There 1t Is! Wherever you go, there
Is never a seat to be had
Ii we be allowed word of question upon
Mrs. WoOls0n's scholarly and agreeable lee
ture. II Is that possibly that portion of John
sons life in London during his seven wears
labor upon his dictionary aud his paTticipa-
ton II various Other works-his conduct OF
duced 81 vividly and In as much detail as the
less Interesting portion Of his early history
But, all IN all. the theme was finely handled
ana gave great enj is n,ent to all so fortunate
as 10 hear 1t. Mrs. Wocls0n lectures oI,
zen DAYS In Morocco" next Saturday in
the same course, at the First Parish church
at o'clock IN the afternoon