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Works of Samuel Johnson
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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]
  • Bonae leges ex malis moribus proveniunt: Good laws spring from bad habits [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Malos tueri haud tutum: Save a thief from the gallows and he’ll cut your throat [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • Quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam Praemia si tollas?: For who embraces virtue herself, if you take away the reward? [School and College Latin Exercises]
  • 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
  • Advertisement for the School at Edial
  • Observations on Common Sense
  • Preface to the 1738 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • Letter to the Gentleman's Magazine on Political Journalism
  • Appeal to the Publick
  • To the Reader. [Gentleman’s Magazine]
  • Considerations on the case of Dr T.—s Sermons abridg’d by Mr Cave
  • The Jests of Hierocles
  • Preface to the 1741 Volume of the Gentleman's Magazine
  • Review of An Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Duchess of Marlborough
  • Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Two First Volumes of Bibliotheca Harleiana
  • An Account of the Harleian Library
  • Notice in Volume Two of Catalogus Bibliothecae Harleianae
  • Proposals for Printing, by Subscription, the Harleian Miscellany with An Account of this Undertaking
  • 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.
  • Proposals for Printing Anchitell Grey's Debates
  • Some Remarks on the Progress of Learning Since the Reformation
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription Hugonis Grotii Adamus Exul
  • 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
  • Dedication to Philander
  • Dedication to The Greek Theatre of Father Brumoy
  • Dedication to Henrietta, 2nd Ed.
  • Proposals for Printing by Subscription The Original Works of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox
  • Letter to the Daily Advertiser concerning James Crokatt
  • Preface to A General Index of the First Twenty Volumes of the Gentleman's Magazine
  • Preface to the 1753 Volume of the Gentleman’s Magazine
  • 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]
  • Letter II. [Daily Gazetteer]
  • Letter III. [Daily Gazetteer]
  • Letter to the Society of Arts (26 February 1760)
  • Letter to the Society of Arts (8 December 1760)
  • 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]
  • 24 December 1765 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 3 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 8 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 14 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 23 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 23 March 1768 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 13 March 1769 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 1 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 4 October 1774 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
  • 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
  • Petition of Mrs. Mary Dodd to the Queen
  • 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
  • Introduction and Conclusion to Occasional Papers (1777)
  • 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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© 2023
Letter of 16 May 1777
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By Johnson, Samuel

Samuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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Letter of May 16, 1777
[Editorial Introduction]
Johnson had a casual acquaintance with Dodd through Edward Cave, who published some of Dodd’s early poems in 1749. Isaac Reed reported that Johnson even had a hand in correcting these poems.1 The two met only once, according to Boswell (Life, III.140), but they had other friends in common, in addition to Cave. In prison, Dodd reached out to Johnson


Page 553

through Edmund Allen, the printer who was Johnson’s landlord and neighbor in Bolt Court. Johnson’s first production for Dodd was a speech for his appearance in court for sentencing on 16 May 1777. A fair copy of the speech, to which someone added a short preface and postscript, survives in the Hyde Collection (MS Hyde 10 [190]). We adopt this as the copy-text because it seems to be the source of the printed versions, all of which appear hastily composed. The work was printed in several newspapers and separately on a single folio leaf entitled Dr. Dodd’s Speech which He Delivered to the Judge before He Received the Sentence of Death (1777). The text of the folio leaf was reprinted in many publications and finally appeared in Works 1788 (XIV.378–80).2 There is also, as Bibliography reports (II.1295), a manuscript copy of the speech in the Folger Library, where it is part of a pair of commonplace books full of Doddiana (m.a. 114–15).
Friday 16 May 1777
My Lord,
I now stand before you, a dreadful example of human infirmity. I entered upon public life, with the expectations common to young men, whose education has been liberal, and whose abilities have been flattered. And when I became a clergyman, I considered myself, as not impairing the dignity of the order. I was not an idle, nor, I hope, an useless minister. I taught the truths of Christianity with the zeal of conviction, and the authority of innocence. My labors were approved; my pulpit became popular; and I have reason to believe, that of those who heard me, some have been preserved from sin, and some have been reclaimed.——Condescend, my lord, to think, if these considerations aggravate my crime, how much they must embitter my punishment!
Being distinguished and elated by the confidence of mankind, I had too much confidence in myself; and thinking my integrity, what others thought it, established in sincerity, and fortified by religion, I did not consider the danger of vanity, nor suspect the deceitfulness of my own heart. The day of conflict came, in which temptation surprized and overwhelmed me! I committed the crime, which, I entreat your Lordship to believe, my conscience hourly represents to me in its full


Page 554

bulk of mischief and malignity. Many have been overpowered by temptation, who are now among the penitent in Heaven.
To an act, now waiting the decision of vindictive justice, I will not presume to oppose the counterbalance of almost thirty years (a great part of the life of man) passed in exciting and exercising charity; in relieving such distresses as I now feel; in administering those consolations which I now want. I will not otherwise extenuate my offence, than by declaring——what many circumstances make probable, that I did not intend to be finally fraudulent. Nor will it become me to apportion my own punishment, by alledging that my sufferings have been not much less than my guilt. I have fallen from reputation, which ought to have made me cautious; and from a fortune, which ought to have given me content. I am sunk at once into poverty and scorn. My name and my crime fill the ballads in the streets; the sport of the thoughtless, and the triumph of the wicked!1
It may seem strange, my Lord, that remembering what I have lately been, I should still wish to continue what I am. But—contempt of death, how speciously soever it might mingle with heathen virtues, has nothing in it suitable to Christian penitence.
Many motives impel me to beg earnestly for life. I feel the natural horror of a violent death, and the universal dread of untimely dissolution. I am desirous to recompense the injury I have done to the clergy, to the world, and to religion; and to efface the scandal of my crime by the example of my repentance. But above all,—— I wish to die with thoughts more composed, and calmer preparation.
The gloom and confusion of a prison;—— the anxiety of a trial;——the horror of suspence;——and the inevitable vicissitudes of passion, leave not the mind in a due disposition to the holy exercises of prayer and self examination. Let not a little life be denied me, in which I may by meditation and


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contrition, prepare myself to stand at the tribunal of omnipotence; and support the presence of that Judge, who shall distribute to all according to their works;—— who will receive to pardon the repenting sinner;—— and from whom the mercifull shall obtaina mercy.
For these reasons, my Lord, amidst shame and misery, I yet wish to live; and most humbly implore that I may be recommended by your Lordship to the clemency of his Majesty.
The Convict’s Address, Postscript
On 21 May, again using Edmund Allen as his intermediary, Dodd sought Johnson’s help in making “some public declarations. . . . I shall determine myself wholly by his direction, & act, in absolute reliance, on his wisdom & judgment.”1 Johnson responded with a sermon on the text of Acts 16: 30, “What must I do to be saved?” Dodd wished to “divest this matter of its sermonic form, & reduce it to an humble address from a wretched brother convict.”2 The sermonic form was left to stand, but Dodd embellished Johnson’s work and delivered it in Newgate Chapel on 6 June. It was published on 19 June, a week before Dodd’s execution, as The Convict’s Address to His Unhappy Brethren. The text is printed in Sermons (Yale, XIV), using as copy-text the copy of the first edition that Johnson annotated for Boswell, indicating Dodd’s additions (301–13). Missing from Yale, XIV, however, is the postscript that Johnson wrote for the sermon. We add that piece here, as it survives in the Hyde Collection (MS 37 [15]) in the hand of Edmund Allen. The purpose of the postscript, which Dodd discarded, was to purify the publication of the presumption that Dodd was its author. Johnson was clearly uneasy about participating in such a deception, either for himself (though he never claimed authorship of the piece) or for Dodd, who was on the brink of having to explain this and all his other deceptions to God.


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P.S.
Ambition and vanity are, I hope, now at an end. I desire no praise as the authour of the foregoing discourse but I desire to leave behind me these thoughts, by whomsoever collected and expressed, as the genuine opinion of my last hour.
Editorial Notes
1 Barker, “Samuel Johnson and the Campaign to Save William Dodd,” 159.
2 For details, see Bibliography, II.1294–95, and Barker, “Samuel Johnson and the Campaign to Save William Dodd,” 160, nn. 49–50.
1 One such ballad appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine for April 1777 (XLVII.187).
a [receive] <obtain>
1 Chapman, Papers, p. 4.
2 Chapman, Papers, p. 16.
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Document Details
Document TitleLetter of 16 May 1777
AuthorJohnson, Samuel
Creation Date1777 May 16
Publ. DateN/A
Alt. TitleN/A
Contrib. AuthorN/A
ClassificationSubject: Dodd; Subject: Crime; Subject: Forgery; Subject: Penance; Subject: Charity; Genre: Appeal; Genre: Petition
PrinterN/A
PublisherN/A
Publ. PlaceN/A
VolumeSamuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand
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Letter of May 16, 1777
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