In 1745, he published miscellaneous observations on the tragedy of Macbeth, with remarks on Sir Thomas Han mer's edition of Shakspeare, to which he prefixed propo sals for a new edition of the great poet, and was probably engaged at times, during two years, in preparing for the undertaking. as, in 1745 and 1746, his periodical contribu tions to the Magazine were suspended. The notice of the public, however, was not excited to his anonymous propo sals, for the execution of a task which Warburton was known to have undertaken ; and the project died at the present, though to revive at a future period. The year 17.17 was remarkable, in his life, for the production of one of his best pieces of poetry, namely the prologue which he supplied to Garrick at the opening of Drury Lane theatre, and the undertaking of his grand work, a Dictionary of the English language. A plan of the dictionary, written with uncommon comprehension, perspicuity, and precision, was addressed to the Earl of Chesterfield. The professions of Chesterfield as a Mxcenas in this business, and his subse quent neglect of Johnson, are but too well known. The price for which Johnson agreed with the booksellers for his Dictionary w.,s 15751. At the outset, he flattered him self that he should be able to finish it in three years, but it employed him, through many intermissions, for eight years. With a view to the completion of his great task, he hired a house in Gough Square, Fleet Street, where a room was fitted up for the amanuenses, who were to exe cute the laborious part of the business.
At intervals he exerted his talents in compositions very different from lexicography, and, probably anticipating easier circumstances from the credit with his booksellers which his compilation afforded him, he devoted a regular Donlon of his time to social amusements with selected friends. Of these he formed a club, that met at Horse man's Chop-house, in Ivy-lane, Paternoster Row, every Tuesday evening, with a view to enjoy literary conversa tion. The members, associated with him in this club, were, his beloved friend Dr. Richard Bathurst, a physician ; Dr. Hawkesworth ; Dr. Salter ; NI). Ryland, a merchant ; Mr. John Payne, then a bookseller in Paternoster Row ; Mr. Samuel Dyer, a learned young man intended for the dissenting ministry ; Dr. .M-Ghie, a Scotch physician ; Dr. Edmund Barker, another physician ; and Sir John Haw kins. The endowments of Dyer are represented by Sir John Hawkins as of so superior a kind, that Johnson might almost he said to have looked up to him. They used to dispute in this club about the moral sense and fitness of things ; but Johnson was not uniform in his opinions, con tending as often for victory as for truth. This failing at tended him through life.
In January 1749, he published with his name The Vani ty of Human Wishes, being the Tenth Satire of Juvenalimi tated. Criticism seems always to have the fairest right to
establish comparisons between one work of an author and another of a similar nature. London, and the Vanity of Hu man IVishes, have, therefore, been often compared. The general opinion has agreed, that there is more of the charm of common life in the poem London, and a higher tone of re• flective moral eloquence in The Vanity of Human Wishes. The description of the scholar's disappointed hopes, in the latter poem, is peculiarly eloquent.
In the same year, his tragedy of Irene, which, to use his own phrase respecting one of Thomson's poems, might have been expected, in its long state of repose, to have gathered dust and harboured spiders, was brought upon the stage of Drury-lane by the kindness of Garrick. Sensi bly as Johnson ought to have felt obliged to Garrick for his assistance, he at first resisted, with violent irritation, all the alterations which the manager suggested for adapting his piece for theatric effect. " The fellow," he said of Gar rick, " wants me to make Mahomet run mad, that he may have an opportunity of tossing his hands and kicking his heels." He was at last, with difficulty-, prevailed upon to comply with Garrick's wishes, and to allow of some changes; but still these were not enough. Irene was accordingly brought upon the boards, but, though supported by the finest acting, and by every advantage of dress and decoration, it failed to captivate the public. Garrick's zeal, neverthe less, carried it through for nine nights ; so that the author had his three nights profits ; and Dodsley gave hint 1001. for the copy right. When asked how he felt upon the bad success of his tragedy, he replied, " Like the monument." Such magnanimity is, probably, as rarely to be found, as the power of writing a tolerable tragedy.
In the year 1750, he came forward in the character for which he was eminently qualified, that of a declaimer on mo ral and religious subjects. The vehicle which he chose was a periodical paper, denominated, (with no great felicity of title,) The Rambler. This title has been ludicrously trans lated, in the Italian version of the work, literally Il Vaga bondo. The first paper of The Rambler was published on Tuesday the 20th of March 1750, and he was enabled to continue it, without interruption, every Tuesday and Fri day, till Saturday the 17th of March 1752, on which it closed. Many of those papers were written in haste, as the moment pressed, without ever being read over by him before they were printed. He received, in the course of the work, no assistance, except four billets in No. 10, by Miss Mulso, afterwards Mrs. Chapone ; No 30, by Mrs. Catherine Talbot ; No. 97, by the famous Samuel Richard son, and No. 44, and 100, by Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. The first reception of The Rambler was not highly favourable. Its popularity was of slow growth.