Читать книгу The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. - James Boswell - Страница 103

‘Cough-square, Fleet-street,

‘April 8, 1755,’

[Page 287: Andrew Millar. Ætat 46.]

Mr. Andrew Millar, bookseller in the Strand, took the principal charge of conducting the publication of Johnson’s Dictionary; and as the patience of the proprietors was repeatedly tried and almost exhausted, by their expecting that the work would be completed within the time which Johnson had sanguinely supposed, the learned authour was often goaded to dispatch, more especially as he had received all the copy-money, by different drafts, a considerable time before he had finished his task[840]. When the messenger who carried the last sheet to Millar returned, Johnson asked him, ‘Well, what did he say?’—‘Sir, (answered the messenger) he said, thank GOD I have done with him.’ ‘I am glad (replied Johnson, with a smile) that he thanks GOD for any thing[841].’ It is remarkable that those with whom Johnson chiefly contracted for his literary labours were Scotchmen, Mr. Millar and Mr. Strahan. Millar, though himself no great judge of literature, had good sense enough to have for his friends very able men to give him their opinion and advice in the purchase of copyright; the consequence of which was his acquiring a very large fortune, with great liberality[842]. Johnson said of him, ‘I respect Millar, Sir; he has raised the price of literature.’ The same praise may be justly given to Panckoucke, the eminent bookseller of Paris. Mr. Strahan’s liberality, judgement, and success, are well known.

[Page 288: An Excursion to Langton deferred. A.D. 1755.]

‘To BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE.