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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.
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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
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  • Letter Concerning the Benefit Performance of Comus for Milton's Granddaughter
  • Proposals for printing by subscription, Essays in Verse and Prose.
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  • Dedication to The Female Quixote
  • Dedication to Memoirs of Maximilian de Bethune, Duke of Sully
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  • Dedication to The Greek Theatre of Father Brumoy
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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
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  • 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)
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  • 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)
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  • Review of Stephen Hales, An Account of a Useful Discovery (1756)
  • Review of Charles Lucas, An Essay on Waters (1756)
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  • 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)
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  • 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)
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  • Review of A Letter to a Gentleman in the Country on the Death of Admiral Byng (1757)
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  • "Dedication to John Lindsay, Evangelical History of Our Lord Jesus Christ Harmonized
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  • Of the Duty of a Journalist (1758)
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  • 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]
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  • 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)
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  • 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)
  • 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
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  • 23 Sept. 1765 [Political Writing for Henry Thrale]
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  • 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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Johnson’s Observations on the Propriety of Pardoning William Dodd, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
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By Johnson, Samuel

Samuel Johnson: Johnson on Demand

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Johnson’s Observations on the Propriety of Pardoning William Dodd, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
[Editorial Introduction]
Johnson’s last contribution to the Dodd controversy before the hanging was a set of observations for the newspapers. The manuscript is Hyde 37 (24). The date 25 June is penciled in at the top, probably by Allen. Among the Yale Boswell Papers is a single octavo leaf with the heading “Dr. Dodd.” Over it Boswell wrote, “This paper copies of which were given about in London and inserted in the newspapers was written by Dr. Johnson.” The printing in the Public Advertiser for 25 June, however, seems to pre-date the broadside because it says “This day” rather than “Yesterday,” and because


Page 569

it adheres more closely to the text of the manuscript. We use the version in the Public Advertiser as copy-text but note differences between it, the manuscript, and the octavo, which seems the most polished text of the three. As usual, we also note cross-outs and insertions in the manuscript.
[Observations]
This day will be conveyeda to the Secretary of State,b a petition in favour of Dr. Dodd,c signed by twenty-threed thousand hands. On this occasion it is natural to consider,e
That in all communities penal laws have been relaxed as particular reasons have emerged.f
That a life eminently useful,g a single action eminently good, or even the power of being useful to the publick, have been sufficient to protect the life of a delinquent.h
That no arbiter of life and death has ever been censured for granting the life of a criminal to honesti and powerful solicitation.j
That the man for whom a nation petitionsk must be presumed to have merit uncommon in kind or in degree;l for however the mode of collecting subscriptions,m or the right judgmentn exercised by the subscribers,o may be open to dispute, it is at lastp plain that something is done for this man, that was never done for any other,q and government,r which


Page 570

must proceed upon general views, may rationally conclude,s that this mant is something better than other offenders have been, or has done something more than others have done.u
That though the people cannot judge of the administration of justice so well as their governors,v yet their voice has always been regarded.w
That this is a case in which the petitioners determine against their own interest;x and thosey forz whose protection the law was madea entreatb its relaxation, and our governorsc cannot be charged with the consequences which the people bring upon themselves.d
That as this is a case without example, it will probably be without consequences, and many ages will elapse before such a crime is again committed by such a man.e
That though life be spared, justice may be satisfied with ruin, imprisonment, exile, infamy and penury.f
That if the people now commit an error, their errorg is on the part of mercy;h and that perhaps history cannot showi a time in which the life of a criminal,j guilty of nothing abovek


Page 571

fraud, was refused to the cryl of nations,m to the jointn supplication of three and twenty thousands.o
Editorial Notes
a This [illegible word] day will be conveyed MS] This day will be presented PA] Yesterday was presented 8vo
b State, PA] State^ MS] State by Earl Percy, 8vo
c Dod^ MS
d twenty three MS
e consider. MS
f emerged. MS] immerged. PA] ermerged: 8vo
g useful, MS] useful, PA] beneficent, 8vo
h delinquent. MS, PA] delinquent: 8vo
i honest ms] honest PA, 8vo
j solicitation. MS, PA] solicitation: 8vo
k <a> nation [soli] petitions MS
l degree, MS
m [hands] <subscri>ptions MS
n judgement MS
o subscribers^ MS
p last MS] last PA, 8vo
q other, MS, PA] other; 8vo
r government^ MS
s conclude, MS, PA] conclude^ 8vo
t [this illegible word] this man MS
u done. MS, PA] done: 8vo
v governours MS
w regarded. MS, PA] regarded: 8vo
x interest, MS
y and those MS, PA] those 8vo
z those [illegible word] for MS
a made MS] made, PA, 8vo
b entreat MS, PA] intreat 8vo
c governours MS
d themselves. MS, PA] themselves 8vo
e man. PA] man: 8vo] man. new paragraph [That if the people err, their errour is on the side <part> of mercy, and that perhaps history does not shew a time when three and twenty thousand] MS
f penury. MS, PA] penury: 8vo
g errour, their errour MS
h mercy, MS
i show PA] shew MS, 8vo
j criminal^ MS
k above MS] above PA
l [voice] <cry> MS
m nations MS] nations PA, 8vo
n [supp] joint MS
o thousands MS, PA] thousand petitioners. 8vo
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Document Details
Document TitleJohnson’s Observations on the Propriety of Pardoning William Dodd, Wednesday, 25 June 1777
AuthorJohnson, Samuel
Creation Date1777 Jun 25
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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