The times., 1901-06-02
DR. JoHNsoN's BIRTHPLACE.
II Is Now Owned by an English City
COrpOrntiOn.
CFrom the london Standard.)

letter which we print this morning
| from the Mayor of Lichfield states that
| the corporation has at last become pos
| sessed of the house in which DR. johnson
was born-thanks. largely to the munifi-
cence of one of the citizens. Mr. Alderman
| Gilbert. Though the building stands in
need of repair, it is to be opened TO the
! public at Whitsuntide. This has always
| been time of special festivity in Lich-
field. for that Monday was held the fa-
nous Greenhill Bower. an ancient pageant
winch has shared the fate of most similar
relics of olden DAYS. Ultimately the
house IS to be made museum OF Johnso-
MANA. 1t stands in the market place,
not far from St Mary's Church, a hand
some Gothic structure the design of
Street, which has replaced an eighteenth
century building Of more than usual ugli-
With the latter, however the house was
more in Keeping, though ii is a better ex-
ample OF domestic than the other was of
ecclesiastical architecture Three stories
high. with sloping roof and rather pro-
Jecting caves, with the two upper stories
OF the principal face slightly advanced
over the lower one, and with rather long
Sash windows, and shop on the ground
moor, 1t is good example of a substantial
trauesman'S dwelling at the beginning of
the eighteenth century. Houses generally
resembling it may be seen in many a
Dutch town, and, simple as are their out
lines, they are far more attractive than
the hideous models ofA packing cases
which We're buiIt for the ordinary citi-
well on into the past one.
probably 1t was comparatively new
when 1t was occupied by the parents of
samuel Johnson. He was born there in
the year l1O9. and it was his home till he
had passed his twenty-first year. though
ne vent for couple of years to a school
at Stourbridge, and for about the same
time to oxford.
For some years his fathers business as
bookseller had not been success and
at his death Johnson had to make his
No world Ert in 10 tor Ia
when success had been won, though aft
er long and painful contest, he more
than once revisited his birthplace. Bos-
well also came in his company, to do
justice to the Lichfield ale and listen to
the great man prafsing his fellow-towns-
men for their propriety OF conduct and
for speaking the purest English in the
country. statue in the market place
represents the sage seated and the pedeS-
tai shows him standing bare-headed in
UttoXeter market as a penance for an
act of diSobedience to his father.
This quiet town, with its graceful Catf1e-
drain its way one of the most attractive
in this country and wonderfully rich in
historic memories-was no inappropriate
birthplace for this genuine Englishman,
who rises like one of its spires above the
ordinary level of our literature. we may
be tempted to smile at the oddities which
Boswell has so faithfully chronicled
Johnson's mind like his person, was sin
gular-a curious blending of almost oppo-
site qualities. In the one physical
and an impaired constitution; in
the other. immense learning and unrea-
sonable prejudices, roughness of manner
and tenderness of heart-often dreaded as
a literary autocrat and almost tyrant, yet
loved by his friends. But Johnson has ex-
erciSed an influence on our language and |
literature which viii never be forgotten,
though perhaps 1t has not altogether been
for good. There is some justice in Ma
caulays sarcasm that the photographer |
thought in English and translated into
] Johnsonese.