204] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



(though perhaps the only) reward of it, the approbation and thank* 

 of every \vell-wisher to the honour of the English language. 



" I am, with the greatest regard, Sir, 

 " Your most faithful and most affectionate humble servant, 



"THOMAS BIRCH." 



To render his Dictionary of more general utility, he abridged it 

 in 1756 into one volume octavo ; and the same year he engaged 

 as Editor of a monthly publication entitled " The Literary Ma- 

 gazine." Among the numerous articles which he wrote for this 

 Magazine, his reviews of new books were most remarkable for 

 elegance of style, justness of criticism, and propriety of sentiment. 

 His review of Soame Jenyns's " Free Inquiry into the Nature 

 and Origin of Evil/' was particularly distinguished; it was re- 

 printed separately to gratify the public, and two large editions 

 of it were rapidly sold. The Magazine was discontinued at the 

 expiration of two years from the want of encouragement. In 1756 

 he also wrote several essays for the " Universal Visitor/' a Ma- 

 gazine which lasted only one year. His proposals for an edition 

 of Shakspeare were revived in June 1756, and subscription tickets 

 issued, but the work was not published till the year 1765. 



In 1758 Johnson was engaged to write a short paper weekly for 

 " The Universal Chronicle, or Weekly Gazette." This he en- 

 titled The Idler, and when the newspaper was discontinued, these 

 papers were collected and published in two volumes, 12mo. which 

 he corrected for the press. The first number of The Idler appeared 

 April 14, 1758, and the last April 5, 1760. In No. 41, he alludes 

 to the death of his mother, who died at Lichfield in the 89th year 

 of her age, and for whom he had ever evinced the most grateful af- 

 fection, having for many years contributed liberally to the support 

 and comfort of her old age. He attended her funeral at Lichfield 

 on the 23d of January 1759, and afterwards wrote a Latin epitaph 

 expressive of her virtues and his filial love. On his return to Lon- 

 don he wrote " Rasselas," in one week, to defray the expences of 

 his mother's funeral, and pay some debts she had left. For the 

 copyright of this philosophical fiction, which the Monthly Reviewers 

 termed " a literary gem," Johnson received 125. which fully an- 

 swered the purpose for which it was written. He also produced 

 Kome smaller pieces in 1759, particularly an Introduction to the 

 "World Displayed," and a translation of a "Dissertation on the 

 Greek Comedy." 



In 1762, while Johnson was proceeding with his edition of Shak- 



