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Table of Contents
  • Audiet Pugnas vitio Parentum / Rara Juventus. Hor: Young men—the few who are left after the crimes of their fathers—will hear of battles. [School and College Latin Exercises]
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  • Adjecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae: Kind Athens Added a Little More Skill [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Mea nec Falernae Temperant Vites, neque Formiani Pocula Colles: Neither Falernian vines nor Formian hills mellow my cups [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Scheme for the Classes of a Grammar School
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  • Observations on Common Sense
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  • Appeal to the Publick
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  • Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Two First Volumes of Bibliotheca Harleiana
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  • Introduction to the Harleian Miscellany: An Essay on the Origin and Importance of Small Tracts and Fugitive Pieces
  • Preface to the 1742 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • Dedication for Robert James's Medicinal Dictionary
  • Preface to the 1743 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • PROPOSALS For Printing every Fortnight, (Price Sixpence) THE PUBLISHER: CONTAINING MISCELLANIES In PROSE and VERSE. Collected by J. CROKATT, Bookseller.
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  • Some Remarks on the Progress of Learning Since the Reformation
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  • Postscript to Lauder’s Essay on Milton’s Use and Imitation of the Moderns
  • A Letter to the Reverend Mr. Douglas
  • Preface to The Preceptor
  • The signification of WORDS how varied
  • Letter Concerning the Benefit Performance of Comus for Milton's Granddaughter
  • Proposals for printing by subscription, Essays in Verse and Prose.
  • Notice of The life of Harriot Stuart
  • Dedication to The Female Quixote
  • Dedication to Memoirs of Maximilian de Bethune, Duke of Sully
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  • Dedication to Henrietta, 2nd Ed.
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  • Letter to the Daily Advertiser concerning James Crokatt
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  • An Account of an Attempt to Ascertain the Longitude by Sea, by an Exact Theory of the Variation of the Magnetical Needle
  • Dedication and Preface to An Introduction to the Game of Draughts (1756)
  • Dedication to An Introduction to Geometry (1767)
  • Preface to Richard Rolt, A New Dictionary of Trade and Commerce
  • Reflections on the Present State of Literature
  • TO THE PUBLIC
  • Review of John Armstrong, The History of the Island of Minorca (1756)
  • Review of Stephen White, Collateral Bee-Boxes (1756)
  • Review of Thomas Birch, The History of the Royal Society, vols. 1–2 (1756)
  • Review of Arthur Murphy, The Gray’s-Inn Journal, 2 vols. (1756)
  • Review of Joseph Warton, An Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope (1756)
  • Review of James Hampton, The General History of Polybius (1756)
  • Review of Thomas Blackwell, Memoirs of the Court of Augustus (1753–56)
  • Review of Alexander Russell, The Natural History of Aleppo (1756)
  • Review of Four Letters from Newton to Bentley (1756)
  • Review of William Borlase, Observations on the Islands of Scilly (1756)
  • Review of Archibald Bower, Affidavit (1756); John Douglas, Six Letters and Review of Mr. Bower’s Answer (1757); and John Douglas, Bower and Tillemont Compared (1757)
  • Review of Francis Home, Experiments on Bleaching (1756)
  • Review of Stephen Hales, An Account of a Useful Discovery (1756)
  • Review of Charles Lucas, An Essay on Waters (1756)
  • Review of Robert Keith, A Large New Catalogue of the Bishops (1756)
  • Review of Patrick Browne, The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica (1756)
  • Review of Charles Parkin, An Impartial Account of the Invasion under William Duke of Normandy (1756)
  • Review of A Scheme for Preventing a Further Increase of the National Debt (1756)
  • Review of Conferences and Treaties (1756)
  • Review of Philosophical Transactions (1756)
  • Review of Richard Lovett, The Subtil Medium Prov’d (1756)
  • Review of Benjamin Hoadley and Benjamin Wilson, Observations on a Series of Electrical Experiments (1756)
  • Review of Johann Georg Keyssler, Travels (1756)
  • Review of Elizabeth Harrison, Miscellanies (1756)
  • Review of Jonas Hanway, A Journal of Eight Days Journey (1757)
  • Review of Jonas Hanway, A Journal of Eight Days Journey, Second Edition (1757)
  • Reply to a Letter from Jonas Hanway in the Gazetteer (1757)
  • Review of Samuel Bever, The Cadet (1756)
  • Review of the Test and Con-Test (1756)
  • Review of William Whitehead, Elegies (1757)
  • Review of A Letter to a Gentleman in the Country on the Death of Admiral Byng (1757)
  • Preliminary Discourse in the London Chronicle
  • Advertisement for Francis Barber in the Daily Advertiser
  • "Dedication to John Lindsay, Evangelical History of Our Lord Jesus Christ Harmonized
  • Introduction to the Universal Chronicle (1758)
  • Of the Duty of a Journalist (1758)
  • Advertisement Against Unauthorized Reprints of the Idler (1759)
  • Advertisement for the Public Ledger in the Universal Chronicle (1760)
  • To The Public in the Public Ledger (1760)
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number I [Public Ledger]
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number II [Public Ledger]
  • The Weekly Correspondent Number III [Public Ledger]
  • Preface to J. Elmer, Tables of Weights and Prices
  • From The Italian Library Containing an Account of the Lives and Works of the most valuable authors of Italy (1757)
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription, Le Poesie di Giuseppe Baretti (1758)
  • Dedication to A Dictionary of the English and Italian Languages (1760)
  • Preface to Easy Phraseology, for the Use of Young Ladies Who Intend to Learn the Colloquial Part of the Italian Language (1775)
  • Advertisement [For The World Displayed]
  • Introduction (1759) [From The World Displayed]
  • Advertisement for Pilgrim's Progress
  • Letter I. [Daily Gazetteer]
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  • Letter to the Society of Arts (26 February 1760)
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  • Address of the Painter’s, Sculptors, &Architects to George III (1761)
  • Preface to A Catalogue of the Pictures, Sculptures, Models, Drawings, Prints, &c Exhibited by the Society of Artists of Great-Britain at the Great Room in Spring Gardens Charing Cross May the 17th Anno 1762 Being the Third year of their Exhibition (1762)
  • Review of William Tytler, Historical and Critical Enquiry into the Evidence Produced … Against Mary Queen of Scots
  • Contributions to John Kennedy, A Complete System of Astronomical Chronology, Unfolding the Scriptures
  • Proposals and Advertisement [for Anna Williams, Miscellanies in Prose and Verse] (1762)
  • Advertisement [for Anna Williams, Miscellanies in Prose and Verse] (1766)
  • Dedication to Jerusalem Delivered (1763)
  • Dedication to The Works of Metastasio (1767)
  • Dedication to Cyrus: A Tragedy (1768)
  • Review of Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller
  • Dedication for Thomas Percy, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
  • 23 Sept. 1765 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 1–4 Oct. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 20 Nov. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 19 Dec. 1765. [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
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  • 3 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
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  • 13 March 1769 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 1 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
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  • 13 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 September 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 September 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 5 Sept. 1780 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • Dedication for George Adams, A Treatise Describing and Explaining the Construction and Use of New Celestial and Terrestrial Globes
  • Dedication to John Gwynn, London and Westminster Improved
  • Preface to Alexander MacBean, A Dictionary of Ancient Geography
  • Meditation on a Pudding
  • Hereford Infirmary Appeal
  • Dedication for A General History of Music (1776)
  • From A General History of Music, Vol. II (1782)
  • Dedication to An Account of the Musical Performance . . . in Commemoration of Handel (1785)
  • Advertisement for the Spectator
  • Dedication to Zachary Pearce, A Commentary, with Notes, on the Four Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles
  • Letter of 16 May 1777
  • The Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council Assembled, Friday 6 June 1777
  • Letter to Lord Bathurst, the Lord Chancellor, 8 June 1777
  • Letter to William Murray, First Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, Wednesday, 11 June 1777
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  • Dodd’s Letter to the King, Sunday, 22 June 1777
  • Petition of William Dodd to the King, Monday, 23 June 1777
  • Dodd’s Last Solemn Declaration, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
  • Johnson’s Observations on the Propriety of Pardoning William Dodd, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
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  • Proposal for Printing William Shaw, An Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language
  • Dedication to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Seven Discourses
  • Preface to Thomas Maurice, Oedipus Tyrannus
  • The Case of Collier v. Flint
  • Translation of Sallust, De Bello Catilinario
  • General Rules of the Essex Head Club
  • On the Character and Duty of an Academick
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Review of Francis Home, Experiments on Bleaching (1756)
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By Johnson, Samuel

Samuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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Review of Francis Home, Experiments on Bleaching (1756)1
Experiments on Bleaching. By Francis Home, M.D. Octavo [1756]
This is one of the few books which philosophy2 has condescended to give mankind for the improvement of the lower arts. The performance is indeed rather useful than pleasing, sometimes obscured by the use of terms, which none but


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bleachers understand, and sometimes made unpleasing to an English ear, by words and phrases never uttered on this side of the Tweed.3 But the author wrote for his countrymen, and his business was rather to instruct than to delight. It had yet been proper to have told the meaning of words peculiar to the trade on which he treats, but we seldom suspect others of ignorance in things which daily use has made familiar to ourselves. Our author talks of pulling cloth, as a seaman mentions “starboard” and “larboard,” and perhaps both would be alike astonished to find that their hearers do not understand them.4
The history of a piece of linen cloth from the loom to the market is very minutely delivered, and may justly excite curiosity as every man is immediately or remotely interested in the process, we shall therefore deliver it in the author’s words without presuming to alter what perhaps we do not always fully comprehend. . . .5
In the following sections Dr. Home relates very curious experiments made upon all the substances used in bleaching; this narrative has every token of fairness and caution; one objection he might easily have obviated. His measures are not always determinate, he mentions too frequently spoonfuls, and tea-spoonfuls, by which the reader cannot be very nicely informed of the quantity intended. The error indeed cannot be great in these cases, nor of great importance, but accuracy is always desirable.6
In the second section of the fourth part he undertakes a


Page 336

subject yet more generally important than the former. He endeavours to investigate the cause and remedy of hard water.
Water is generally understood to be hard, when soap, agitated in it with the hand, does not raise a froth or lather on the surface nor dissolves equally through the water, but curdles, or separates into a thicker and thinner part; the former of which mounts to the surface, and there remains like a white oil, while the water continues transparent below. Hard water has other distinguishing marks; such as, not softening pease that are boiled in it; boiling fish better than soft water; extracting less strength out of malt in brewing; preserving the colour of greens boiled in it, better than soft water; and not taking the dirt out of foul linen so well when washed in it. These I think too vague and undetermined to be taken as standards for experiment. The curdling of soap I shall then make my fixed point; on one side of which the soft waters lie, and on the other the hard. We shall call this the curdling point. This standard of hard and soft water is more certain than any of those commonly known.7
The hardness of water has been hitherto commonly imputed to sea salt latent in it, though in quantities too small to be perceived by the taste.8
To soften hard water many methods have been proposed. Water softens to the taste by being boiled. Dr. Home therefore tried various degrees of heat upon water, but it still continued hard; he at last boiled eight pints to one, but it was then much harder than before.9
Hard water kept long exposed to heat in a state of stagnation is supposed to soften. Four pints of hard water were therefore kept before a kitchen fire from July the fifth to November the eleventh, it was then found reduced to half, wholly free from corruption, but twice as hard as before; that is, it required twice as much soft water as at first to be mingled with it, before it would completely mix with soap.


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Dung added to it to produce a putrefaction did not soften it, but flesh and fish putrified in it, made it quite soft.1
An attempt was made to soften water by filtering it through sand, which at first succeeded, but the matter that makes water hard made its way through the sand, in twenty-four hours, and then the filtration had no effect.2
Water filtered through chalk becomes soft, but passes too slowly to afford any useful quantity. Chalk mixed with water does not soften it. Water poured upon lime is not softened. Nor do extracts of vegetables soften water.3
Water is softened only by alkaline salts. Pearl ashes,4 and spirit of hartshorn soften water.5
It is not sea salt but the bittern6 of sea salt that makes water hard; pure salt dissolved in it does not harden it, but the fourth part of a grain of bittern salt hardened a spoonful of rain water.7
The great discoverer of hard water is oleum tartari per deliquium,8 which will make it lactescent9 even when it will not curdle soap, but produces no change in water completely soft. The most subtle discoverer of salt in water is a solution of quicksilver in aqua-fortis, of which a few drops will produce a milky colour when only a single grain of salt is mixed with three pints.1
The common Epsom salt of the chymists is only the sea salt with bittern. Alum, salt of steel, and blue vitriol harden water. . . .2
The sum of this discourse, which is indeed of great importance, is this. For many uses soft water is necessary, but it is


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not every where afforded by nature; it is therefore sometimes requisite to soften hard water, which may be done by burning any herbs or wood, and throwing the ashes into the water.
Editorial Notes
1 Eddy, no. 13; LM, I.136–41. The book was published in Edinburgh by A. Kincaid and A. Donaldson.
2 Philosophy: “Knowledge natural or moral” (Dictionary, sense 1).
3 Francis Home (1719–1813) was then a member and later president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. For Experiments on Bleaching, “the Honourable Board of Trustees for the Improvement of Manufactures in North Britain paid him £100 and presented him with a gold medal” (ODNB).
4 Home describes rollers that “pull the [coarse] cloth gradually through the boards,” as part of the process of bleaching (pp. 94–95), but the usage does not seem specialized.
5 SJ here (pp. 136–39) excerpts Home, pp. 21–35; he uses quotation marks for the excerpts from pp. 26–35, but throughout he both quotes and paraphrases closely, and he omits a number of sentences.
6 Cf. SJ’s concern with accuracy and “imperfect mensuration” in his Journey to the Western Islands (Yale, IX.146–47).
7 Home, pp. 224–25.
8 Paraphrase of Home, p. 223.
9 Paraphrase of Home, p. 227.
1 Paraphrase of Home, pp. 227–29 (Home says, “July 1” [p. 227]).
2 Paraphrase of Home, pp. 229–31.
3 Paraphrase and summary of Home, pp. 232–35.
4 Pearl ash: Potassium carbonate; purified potash.
5 Summary of Home, pp. 235–36.
6 Bittern: “‘A very bitter liquor, which drains off in making of common salt . . .’ [John] Quincy” (Dictionary).
7 Paraphrase and summary of Home, pp. 237–39.
8 “Clarified oil of tartar,” a solution of potassium carbonate.
9 Lactescent: milky.
1 Excerpts and summary of Home, pp. 239–52.
2 Epitome of Home, pp. 240–48. Following this, SJ quotes parts of Home, pp. 249, 252, 295, 297–98, and 299–300.
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Document Details
Document TitleReview of Francis Home, Experiments on Bleaching (1756)
AuthorJohnson, Samuel
Creation Date1756
Publ. DateN/A
Alt. TitleN/A
Contrib. AuthorJohnson, Samuel
ClassificationSubject: Plagiarism; Subject: Forgery; Subject: Catholicism; Subject: Conversion; Genre: Book Review
PrinterN/A
PublisherJ. Richardson
Publ. PlaceLondon
VolumeSamuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand
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