The Life of Samuel Johnson, vol 2 | Page 6

dear Miss Langton left us, had not I met Mr. Simpson, of Lincoln, one
day in the street, by whom I was informed that Mr. Langton, your
Mamma, and yourself, had been all ill, but that you were all recovered.
'That sickness should suspend your correspondence, I did not wonder;
but hoped that it would be renewed at your recovery.
'Since you will not inform us where you are, or how you live, I know

not whether you desire to know any thing of us. However, I will tell
you that THE CLUB subsists; but we have the loss of Burke's company
since he has been engaged in publick business[47], in which he has
gained more reputation than perhaps any man at his [first] appearance
ever gained before. He made two speeches in the House for repealing
the Stamp-act, which were publickly commended by Mr. Pitt, and have
filled the town with wonder[48].
'Burke is a great man by nature, and is expected soon to attain civil
greatness[49]. I am grown greater too, for I have maintained the
newspapers these many weeks[50]; and what is greater still, I have
risen every morning since New-year's day, at about eight; when I was
up, I have indeed done but little; yet it is no slight advancement to
obtain for so many hours more, the consciousness of being.
'I wish you were in my new study[51]; I am now writing the first letter
in it. I think it looks very pretty about me.
'Dyer[52] is constant at THE CLUB; Hawkins is remiss; I am not over
diligent. Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, and Mr. Reynolds, are very
constant. Mr. Lye is printing his Saxon and Gothick Dictionary[53]; all
THE CLUB subscribes.
'You will pay my respects to all my Lincolnshire friends. I am, dear Sir,
'Most affectionately your's,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 9, 1766. Johnson's-court, Fleet-street[54].'
'To BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON, NEAR SPILSBY,
LINCOLNSHIRE.
'DEAR SIR,
'In supposing that I should be more than commonly affected by the
death of Peregrine Langton[55], you were not mistaken; he was one of

those whom I loved at once by instinct and by reason. I have seldom
indulged more hope of any thing than of being able to improve our
acquaintance to friendship. Many a time have I placed myself again at
Langton, and imagined the pleasure with which I should walk to
Partney[56] in a summer morning; but this is no longer possible. We
must now endeavour to preserve what is left us,--his example of piety
and oeconomy. I hope you make what enquiries you can, and write
down what is told you. The little things which distinguish domestick
characters are soon forgotten: if you delay to enquire, you will have no
information; if you neglect to write, information will be vain[57].
'His art of life certainly deserves to be known and studied. He lived in
plenty and elegance upon an income which, to many would appear
indigent, and to most, scanty. How he lived, therefore, every man has
an interest in knowing. His death, I hope, was peaceful; it was surely
happy.
'I wish I had written sooner, lest, writing now, I should renew your
grief; but I would not forbear saying what I have now said.
'This loss is, I hope, the only misfortune of a family to whom no
misfortune at all should happen, if my wishes could avert it. Let me
know how you all go on. Has Mr. Langton got him the little horse that I
recommended? It would do him good to ride about his estate in fine
weather.
'Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Langton, and to dear Miss
Langton, and Miss Di, and Miss Juliet, and to every body else.
'The wonder, with most that hear an account of his oeconomy, will be,
how he was able, with such an income, to do so much, especially when
it is considered that he paid for everything he had; he had no land,
except the two or three small fields which I have said he rented; and,
instead of gaining any thing by their produce, I have reason to think he
lost by them; however, they furnished him with no further assistance
towards his housekeeping, than grass for his horses, (not hay, for that I
know he bought,) and for two cows. Every Monday morning he settled
his family accounts, and so kept up a constant attention to the confining

his expences within his income; and to do it more exactly, compared
those expences with a computation he had made, how much that
income would afford him every week and day of the year. One of his
oeconomical practices was, as soon as any repair was wanting in or
about his house, to have it immediately performed. When he had
money