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W.W. Jacobs - "The Temptation of Samuel Burge"

D. Armando Palacio Valdes - "La Espuma"

W.W. Jacobs - "The Temptation of Samuel Burge"

Richard Harding Davis - "With the Allies"

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The Works of Samuel Johnson in Nine Volumes by Samuel Johnson

S >> Samuel Johnson >> The Works of Samuel Johnson in Nine Volumes




[3] In order to convey to the reader some idea, how highly parade and
magnificence were estimated by our ancestors, on these solemn
occasions, I shall take notice of the manner of conducting lady Anne
Boleyn from Greenwich, previous to her coronation, as it is recited
by Stow.

King Henry the eighth (says that historian) having divorced queen
Catherine, and married Anne Boleyn, or Boloine, who was descended
from Godfrey Boloine, mayor of the city of London, and intending her
coronation, sent to order the lord mayor, not only to make all the
preparations necessary for conducting his royal consort from
Greenwich, by water, to the Tower of London but to adorn the city
after the most magnificent manner, for her passage through it to
Westminster.

In obedience to the royal precept, the mayor and common council not
only ordered the company of haberdashers, of which the lord mayor
was a member, to prepare a magnificent state barge; but enjoined all
the city corporations to provide themselves with barges, and to
adorn them in the most superb manner, and especially to have them
supplied with good bands of music.

On the 29th of May, the time prefixed for this pompous procession by
water the mayor, aldermen, and commons, assembled at St. Mary hill;
the mayor and aldermen in scarlet, with gold chains, and those who
were knights, with the collars of SS. At one they went on board the
city barge at Billingsgate, which was most magnificently decorated,
and attended by fifty noble barges, belonging to the several
companies of the city, with each its own corporation on board; and,
for the better regulation of this procession, it was ordered, that
each barge should keep twice their lengths asunder.

Thus regulated, the city barge was preceded by another mounted with
ordnance, and the figures of dragons, and other monsters,
incessantly emitting fire and smoke, with much noise. Then the city
barge, attended on the right by the haberdashers' state barge,
called the bachelors', which was covered with gold brocade, and
adorned with sails of silk, with two rich standards of the king's
and queen's arms at her head and stern, besides a variety of flags
and streamers, containing the arms of that company, and those of the
merchant adventurers; besides which, the shrouds and ratlines were
hung with a number of small bells: on the left was a barge that
contained a very beautiful mount, on which stood a white falcon
crowned, perched upon a golden stump, enriched with roses, being the
queen's emblem; and round the mount sat several beautiful virgins,
singing, and playing upon instruments. The other barges followed, in
regular order, till they came below Greenwich. On their return the
procession began with that barge which was before the last, in which
were the mayor's and sheriff's officers, and this was followed by
those of the inferior companies, ascending to the lord mayor's,
which immediately preceded that of the queen, who was attended by
the bachelors' or state barge, with the magnificence of which her
majesty was much delighted; and being arrived at the Tower, she
returned the lord mayor and aldermen thanks, for the pomp with which
she had been conducted thither.

Two days after, the lord mayor, in a gown of crimson velvet, and a
rich collar of SS, attended by the sheriffs, and two domestics in
red and white damask, went to receive the queen at the Tower of
London, whence the sheriffs returned to see that every thing was in
order. The streets were just before new gravelled, from the Tower to
Temple-bar, and railed in on each side, to the intent that the
horses should not slide on the pavement, nor the people be hurt by
the horses; within the rails near Gracechurch, stood a body of
Anseatic merchants, and next to them the several corporations of the
city, in their formalities, reaching to the alderman's station at
the upper end of Cheapside. On the opposite side were placed the
city constables, dressed in silk and velvet, with staffs in their
hands, to prevent the breaking in of the mob, or any other
disturbance. On this occasion, Gracechurch street and Corn hill were
hung with crimson and scarlet cloth, and the sides of the houses of
a place then called Goldsmiths' row, in Cheapside, were adorned with
gold brocades, velvet, and rich tapestry.

The procession began from the Tower, with twelve of the French
ambassador's domestics in blue velvet, the trappings of their horses
being blue sarsnet, interspersed with white crosses; after whom
marched those of the equestrian order, two and two, followed by
judges in their robes, two and two; then came the knights of the
bath in violet gowns, purfled with menever. Next came the abbots,
barons, bishops, earls, and marquises, in their robes, two and two.

Then the lord chancellor, followed by the Venetian ambassador and
the archbishop of York; next the French ambassador and the
archbishop of Canterbury, followed by two gentlemen representing the
dukes of Normandy and Aquitain; after whom rode the lord mayor of
London with his mace, and garter in his coat of arms; then the duke
of Suffolk, lord high steward, followed by the deputy marshal of
England, and all the other officers of state in their robes,
carrying the symbols of their several offices: then others of the
nobility in crimson velvet, and all the queen's officers in scarlet,
followed by her chancellor uncovered, who immediately preceded his
mistress.

The queen was dressed in silver brocade, with a mantle of the same
furred with ermine; her hair was dishevelled, and she wore a chaplet
upon her head set with jewels of inestimable value. She sat in a
litter covered with silver tissue, and carried by two beautiful pads
cloathed in white damask, and led by her footmen. Over the litter
was carried a canopy of cloth of gold, with a silver bell at each
corner, supported by sixteen knights alternately, by four at a time.

After her majesty came her chamberlain, followed by her master of
horse, leading a beautiful pad, with a side-saddle, and trappings of
silver tissue. Next came seven ladies in crimson velvet, faced with
gold brocade, mounted on beautiful horses with gold trappings. Then
followed two chariots covered with cloth of gold, in the first of
which were the duchess of Norfolk and the marchioness of Dorset, and
in the second four ladies in crimson velvet; then followed seven
ladies dressed in the same manner, on horseback, with magnificent
trappings, followed by another chariot all in white, with six ladies
in crimson velvet; this was followed by another all in red, with
eight ladies in the same dress with the former; next came thirty
gentlewomen, attendants to the ladies of honour; they were on
horseback, dressed in silks and velvet; and the cavalcade was closed
by the horse guards.

This pompous procession being arrived in Fenchurch street, the queen
stopped at a beautiful pageant, crowded with children in mercantile
habits, who congratulated her majesty upon the joyful occasion of
her happy arrival in the city.

Thence she proceeded to Gracechurch corner, where was erected a very
magnificent pageant, at the expense of the company of Anseatic
merchants, in which was represented mount Parnassus, with the
fountain of Helicon, of white marble, out of which arose four
springs, about four feet high, centering at the top in a small
globe, from whence issued plenty of Rhenish wine till night. On the
mount sat Apollo, at his feet was Calliope, and beneath were the
rest of the Muses, surrounding the mount, and playing upon a variety
of musical instruments, at whose feet were inscribed several
epigrams suited to the occasion, in letters of gold.

Her majesty then proceeded to Leadenhall, where stood a pageant,
representing a hill encompassed with red and white roses; and above
it was a golden stump, upon which a white falcon, descending from
above, perched, and was quickly followed by an angel, who put a
crown of gold upon his head. A little lower on the hillock sat St.
Anne, surrounded by her progeny, one of whom made an oration, in
which was a wish that her majesty might prove extremely prolific.

The procession then advanced to the conduit in Corn hill, where the
Graces sat enthroned, with a fountain before them, incessantly
discharging wine; and underneath, a poet, who described the
qualities peculiar to each of these amiable deities, and presented
the queen with their several gifts.

The cavalcade thence proceeded to a great conduit that stood
opposite to Mercers' hall in Cheapside, and, upon that occasion, was
painted with a variety of emblems, and during the solemnity and
remaining part of the day, ran with different sorts of wine, for the
entertainment of the populace.

At the end of Wood street, the standard there was finely embellished
with royal portraitures and a number of flags, on which were painted
coats of arms and trophies, and above was a concert of vocal and
instrumental music.

At the upper end of Cheapside was the aldermen's station, where the
recorder addressed the queen in a very elegant oration, and, in the
name of the citizens, presented her with a thousand marks, in a
purse of gold tissue, which her majesty very gracefully received.

At a small distance, by Cheapside conduit, was a pageant, in which
were seated Minerva, Juno, and Venus; before whom stood the god
Mercury, who, in their names, presented the queen a golden apple.

At St. Paul's gate was a fine pageant, in which sat three ladies
richly dressed, with each a chaplet on her head, and a tablet in her
hand, containing Latin inscriptions.

At the east end of St. Paul's cathedral, the queen was entertained
by some of the scholars belonging to St. Paul's school, with verses
in praise of the king and her majesty, with which she seemed highly
delighted.

Thence proceeding to Ludgate, which was finely decorated, her
majesty was entertained with several songs adapted to the occasion,
sung in concert by men and boys upon the leads over the gate.

At the end of Shoe lane, in Fleet street, a handsome tower with four
turrets, was erected upon the conduit, in each of which stood one of
the cardinal virtues, with their several symbols; who, addressing
themselves to the queen, promised they would never leave her, but be
always her constant attendants. Within the tower was an excellent
concert of music, and the conduit all the while ran with various
sorts of wine.

At Temple-bar she was again entertained with songs, sung in concert
by a choir of men and boys; and having from thence proceeded to
Westminster, she returned the lord mayor thanks for his good
offices, and those of the citizens, that day. The day after, the
lord mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs, assisted at the coronation,
which was performed with great splendour.--Stow's Annals.

_Note_. The same historian informs us, that queen Elizabeth passed
in the like manner, through the city, to her coronation.

The admirers of the descriptions of pageants may be amply gratified
in Henry's History of England. The field of the cloth of gold shines
"luna inter minora sidera."--Ed.




PREFACE TO THE ARTISTS' CATALOGUE, FOR 1762.

The publick may justly require to be informed of the nature and extent
of every design, for which the favour of the publick is openly
solicited. The artists, who were themselves the first projectors of an
exhibition in this nation, and who have now contributed to the following
catalogue, think it, therefore, necessary to explain their purpose, and
justify their conduct. An exhibition of the works of art, being a
spectacle new in this kingdom, has raised various opinions and
conjectures, among those who are unacquainted with the practice in
foreign nations. Those who set out their performances to general view,
have been too often considered as the rivals of each other, as men
actuated, if not by avarice, at least by vanity, and contending for
superiority of fame, though not for a pecuniary prize: it cannot be
denied or doubted, that all who offer themselves to criticism are
desirous of praise; this desire is not only innocent, but virtuous,
while it is undebased by artifice, and unpolluted by envy, and of envy
or artifice these men can never be accused, who, already enjoying all
the honours and profits of their profession, are content to stand
candidates for publick notice, with genius yet unexperienced, and
diligence yet unrewarded; who, without any hope of increasing their own
reputation or interest, expose their names and their works, only that
they may furnish an opportunity of appearance to the young, the
diffident, and the neglected. The purpose of this exhibition is not to
enrich the artists, but to advance the art; the eminent are not
flattered with preference, nor the obscure insulted with contempt;
whoever hopes to deserve publick favour, is here invited to display his
merit.

Of the price put upon this exhibition, some account may be demanded.
Whoever sets his work to be shown, naturally desires a multitude of
spectators; but his desire defeats its own end, when spectators assemble
in such numbers as to obstruct one another. Though we are far from
wishing to diminish the pleasures, or depreciate the sentiments of any
class of the community, we know, however, what every one knows, that all
cannot be judges or purchasers of works of art; yet we have already
found, by experience, that all are desirous to see an exhibition. When
the terms of admission were low, our room was thronged with such
multitudes as made access dangerous, and frightened away those whose
approbation was most desired.

Yet, because it is seldom believed that money is got but for the love of
money, we shall tell the use which we intend to make of our expected
profits.

Many artists of great abilities are unable to sell their works for their
due price; to remove this inconvenience, an annual sale will be
appointed, to which every man may send his works, and send them, if he
will, without his name. These works will be reviewed by the committee
that conduct the exhibition. A price will be secretly set on every
piece, and registered by the secretary. If the piece exposed is sold for
more, the whole price shall be the artist's; but if the purchaser's
value is at less than the committee, the artist shall be paid the
deficiency from the profits of the exhibition.




OPINIONS ON QUESTIONS OF LAW.

The following opinions on cases of law may be regarded as among the
strongest proofs of Johnson's enlarged powers of mind, and of his
ability to grapple with subjects, on general principles, with whose
technicalities he could not be familiar. Of law, as a science, he ever
expressed the deepest admiration, and an author who combines an accurate
knowledge of the practical details of jurisprudence with the most
philosophical views of legal principles, has quoted Dr. Johnson, as
pronouncing the study of law "the last effort of human intelligence
acting upon human experience." We allude to the eloquent and excellent
Sir James Mackintosh's Discourse on the Study of the Law of Nature and
Nations, p. 58. Lord Bacon, in his two books on the Advancement of
Learning, has affirmed, that professed lawyers are not the best law
authors; and the comprehensive and lucid opinions which Dr. Johnson has
here given, and which, in many instances, have been subsequently
sanctioned by legislative authority, seem to establish the remark.

The first Case in the present edition, involves an ingenious defence of
the right of abridgment, founded on considerations on Dr. Trapp's
celebrated sermons "on the nature, folly, sin, and danger of being
righteous over-much." These discourses, about the year 1739, when
methodism was a novelty, attracted much attention. Mr. Cave, always
anxious to gratify his readers, abridged and extracted parts from them,
and promised a continuation. This never appeared; stopped, perhaps, by
threats of prosecution on the part of the original publishers of the
sermons. It was, in all probability, on this occasion, that Dr. Johnson
wrote the following paper.--Gent. Mag. July, 1787. It is a subject with
whose bearings he might be presumed to be practically conversant; and,
accordingly, we find, in his memoirs, many recorded arguments of his, on
literary property. They uniformly exhibit the most enlarged and liberal
views--a readiness to sacrifice private considerations to publick and
general good. He wished the author to be adequately remunerated for his
labour, and tenderly protected from spoliation, but, by no means,
encouraged in monopoly. See Boswell's Life, i. ii. iv.



CONSIDERATIONS ON THE
CASE OF DR. T[RAPP]'S SERMONS.

ABRIDGED BY MR. CAVE, 1739.

1. That the copy of a book is the property of the author, and that he
may, by sale, or otherwise, transfer that property to another, who has a
right to be protected in the possession of that property, so
transferred, is not to be denied.

2. That the complainants may be lawfully invested with the property of
this copy, is likewise granted.

3. But the complainants have mistaken the nature of this property; and,
in consequence of their mistake, have supposed it to be invaded by an
act, in itself legal, and justifiable by an uninterrupted series of
precedents, from the first establishment of printing, among us, down to
the present time.

4. He that purchases the copy of a book, purchases the sole right of
printing it, and of vending the books printed according to it; but has
no right to add to it, or take from it, without the author's consent,
who still preserves such a right in it, as follows from the right every
man has to preserve his own reputation.

5. Every single book, so sold by the proprietor, becomes the property of
the buyer, who purchases, with the book, the right of making such use of
it as he shall think most convenient, either for his own improvement or
amusement, or the benefit or entertainment of mankind.

6. This right the reader of a book may use, many ways, to the
disadvantage both of the author and the proprietor, which yet they have
not any right to complain of, because the author when he wrote, and the
proprietor when he purchased the copy, knew, or ought to have known,
that the one wrote, and the other purchased, under the hazard of such
treatment from the buyer and reader, and without any security from the
bad consequences of that treatment, except the excellence of the book.

7. Reputation and property are of different kinds; one kind of each is
more necessary to be secured by the law than another, and the law has
provided more effectually for its defence. My character as a man, a
subject, or a trader, is under the protection of the law; but my
reputation, as an author, is at the mercy of the reader, who lies under
no other obligations to do me justice than those of religion and
morality. If a man calls me rebel or bankrupt, I may prosecute and
punish him; but, if a man calls me ideot or plagiary, I have no remedy;
since, by selling him the book, I admit his privilege of judging, and
declaring his judgment, and can appeal only to other readers, if I think
myself injured.

8. In different characters we are more or less protected; to hiss a
pleader at the bar would, perhaps, be deemed illegal and punishable, but
to hiss a dramatick writer is justifiable by custom.

9. What is here said of the writer, extends itself naturally to the
purchaser of a copy, since the one seldom suffers without the other.

10. By these liberties it is obvious, that authors and proprietors may
often suffer, and sometimes unjustly: but as these liberties are
encouraged and allowed for the same reason with writing itself, for the
discovery and propagation of truth, though, like other human goods, they
have their alloys and ill consequences; yet, as their advantages
abundantly preponderate, they have never yet been abolished or
restrained.

11. Thus every book, when it falls into the hands of the reader, is
liable to be examined, confuted, censured, translated, and abridged; any
of which may destroy the credit of the author, or hinder the sale of the
book.

12. That all these liberties are allowed, and cannot be prohibited
without manifest disadvantage to the publick, may be easily proved; but
we shall confine ourselves to the liberty of making epitomes, which
gives occasion to our present inquiry.

13. That an uninterrupted prescription confers a right, will be easily
granted, especially if it appears that the prescription, pleaded in
defence of that right, might at any time have been interrupted, had it
not been always thought agreeable to reason and to justice.

14. The numberless abridgments that are to be found of all kinds of
writings, afford sufficient evidence that they were always thought
legal, for they are printed with the names of the abbreviators and
publishers, and without the least appearance of a clandestine
transaction. Many of the books, so abridged, were the properties of men
who wanted neither wealth, nor interest, nor spirit, to sue for justice,
if they had thought themselves injured. Many of these abridgments must
have been made by men whom we can least suspect of illegal practices,
for there are few books of late that are not abridged.

15. When bishop Burnet heard that his History of the Reformation was
about to be abridged, he did not think of appealing to the court of
chancery; but, to avoid any misrepresentation of his history, epitomised
it himself, as he tells us in his preface.

16. But, lest it should be imagined that an author might do this rather
by choice than necessity, we shall produce two more instances of the
like practice, where it would certainly not have been borne, if it had
been suspected of illegality. The one, in Clarendon's History, which was
abridged, in 2 vols. 8vo.; and the other in bishop Burnet's History of
his Own Time, abridged in the same manner. The first of these books was
the property of the university of Oxford, a body tenacious enough of
their rights; the other, of bishop Burnet's heirs, whose circumstances
were such as made them very sensible of any diminution of their
inheritance.

17. It is observable, that both these abridgments last mentioned, with
many others that might be produced, were made when the act of parliament
for securing the property of copies was in force, and which, if that
property was injured, afforded an easy redress: what then can be
inferred from the silence and forbearance of the proprietors, but that
they thought an epitome of a book no violation of the right of the
proprietor?

18. That their opinion, so contrary to their own interest, was founded
in reason, will appear from the nature and end of an abridgment.

19. The design of an abridgment is, to benefit mankind by facilitating
the attainment of knowledge; and by contracting arguments, relations, or
descriptions, into a narrow compass, to convey instruction in the
easiest method, without fatiguing the attention, burdening the memory,
or impairing the health of the student.

20. By this method the original author becomes, perhaps, of less value,
and the proprietor's profits are diminished; but these inconveniencies
give way to the advantage received by mankind, from the easier
propagation of knowledge; for as an incorrect book is lawfully
criticised, and false assertions justly confuted, because it is more the
interest of mankind, that errour should be detected, and truth
discovered, than that the proprietors of a particular book should enjoy
their profits undiminished; so a tedious volume may, no less lawfully,
be abridged, because it is better that the proprietors should suffer
some damage, than that the acquisition of knowledge should be obstructed
with unnecessary difficulties, and the valuable hours of thousands
thrown away.

21. Therefore, as he that buys the copy of a book, buys it under this
condition, that it is liable to be confuted, if it is false, however his
property may be affected by such a confutation; so he buys it, likewise,
liable to be abridged, if it be tedious, however his property may suffer
by the abridgment.

22. To abridge a book, therefore, is no violation of the right of the
proprietor, because to be subject to the hazard of an abridgment was an
original condition of the property.

23. Thus we see the right of abridging authors established both by
reason and the customs of trade. But, perhaps, the necessity of this
practice may appear more evident, from a consideration of the
consequences that must probably follow from the prohibition of it.