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Dedication to The Female Quixote

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By Johnson, Samuel

Samuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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Dedication to The Female Quixote (1752)

[Editorial Introduction]

Charlotte Lennox’s most popular work, The Female Quixote; or, the Adventures of Arabella, was first published on 13 March 1752. Correspondence between Lennox and Johnson shows that Johnson helped Lennox publish this work, not only by speaking to Andrew Millar but also by engaging Richardson and Lord Orrery in the effort.1 One letter also seems to indicate that Johnson did not write the penultimate chapter of the book, as has frequently been thought.2 As Fleeman notes, Boswell attributed the dedication to Johnson on the basis of internal evidence (Life, I.367), but in his journal for 7 April 1778, he indicates that Johnson told him it was his: “Saw dedication of Female Quixote to Lord Middlesex. He owned it.”3 The dedication was first published as Johnson’s in Works 1788 (XIV.476–77).

To the Right Honourable The Earl of Middlesex1

My Lord,

Such is the power of interest over almost every mind, that no one is long without arguments to prove any position which is ardently wished to be true, or to justify any measures which are dictated by inclination.

By this subtil sophistry of desire, I have been persuaded to hope, that this book may, without impropriety, be inscribed to your Lordship; but am not certain, that my reasons will have the same force upon other understandings.

Page 206

The dread which a writer feels of the public censure; the still greater dread of neglect; and the eager wish for support and protection, which is impressed by the consciousness of imbecillity;2 are unknown to those who have never adventured into the world; and I am afraid, my Lord, equally unknown to those, who have always found the world ready to applaud them.

’Tis, therefore, not unlikely, that the design of this address may be mistaken, and the effects of my fear imputed to my vanity: they who see your Lordship’s name prefixed to my performance, will rather condemn my presumption, than compassionate my anxiety.

But, whatever be supposed my motive, the praise of judgment cannot be denied me; for, to whom can timidity so properly fly for shelter, as to him who has been so long distinguished for candour and humanity? How can vanity be so completely gratified, as by the allowed patronage of him whose judgment has so long given a standard to the national taste?3 Or by what other means could I so powerfully suppress all opposition, but that of envy, as by declaring myself,

My Lord, Your Lordship’s obliged and most obedient humble servant, The Author.

Editorial Notes

1 See Schürer, Charlotte Lennox, pp. 6–10, 23–33.

2 O M Brack, Jr., and Susan Carlile canvass the controversy in “Samuel Johnson’s Contributions to Charlotte Lennox’s ‘The Female Quixote,’” Yale University Library Gazette, 77.3/4 (April 2003), 166–73. They make use of Schürer’s findings, particularly what was to become his Letter 10 (pp. 29–31), which strongly suggests that SJ did not see Lennox’s concluding chapters until they were in print (Schürer, Charlotte Lennox, p. xxxvi). Brack and Carlile conclude that SJ’s persona in the Rambler was the model for Lennox’s “pious and learned Doctor” (an important character), but SJ did not write the penultimate or any other chapter of the book. See also the Appendix by Duncan Isles to The Female Quixote, ed. Margaret Dalziel (1970; rev. 1989).

3 Bibliography, I.323, citing Boswell in Extremes, 1776–1778, ed. Charles McC. Weiss and Frederick A. Pottle (1970), p. 249. Cf. Hazen, pp. 94–98.

1 Charles Sackville, second Duke of Dorset (1711–69), was styled Earl of Middlesex until the death of his father in 1765 (ODNB). He was an intimate of Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales (1707–51), and presented Lennox’s birthday ode to the princess in 1750 (see Small, Charlotte Ramsay Lennox, pp. 231–32).

2 Imbecillity: “Weakness; feebleness of mind or body” (Dictionary, s.v. imbecility).

3 Middlesex was a proponent of Italian opera and a failed impresario (ODNB).

Transcription

Document Details

Document TitleDedication to The Female Quixote

AuthorJohnson, Samuel

Creation Date1752

Publ. DateN/A

Alt. TitleN/A

Contrib. AuthorLennox, Charlotte

ClassificationSubject: Novel; Subject: Charles Sackville; Subject: Patron; Genre: Dedication

PrinterN/A

PublisherAndrew Millar

Publ. PlaceLondon

VolumeSamuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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