第28章

1765：AETAT。56。]——TrinityCollege，Dublin，atthistimesurprisedJohnsonwithaspontaneouscomplimentofthehighestacademicalhonours，bycreatinghimDoctorofLaws。

Heappearsthisyeartohavebeenseizedwithatemporaryfitofambition，forhehadthoughtsbothofstudyinglawandofengaginginpolitics。His’PrayerbeforetheStudyofLaw’istrulyadmirable：——

’Sept。26，1765。

’AlmightyGOD，thegiverofwisdom，withoutwhosehelpresolutionsarevain，withoutwhoseblessingstudyisineffectual；enableme，ifitbethywill，toattainsuchknowledgeasmayqualifymetodirectthedoubtful，andinstructtheignorant；topreventwrongsandterminatecontentions；andgrantthatImayusethatknowledgewhichIshallattain，tothygloryandmyownsalvation，forJESUS

CHRIST’Ssake。Amen。’

ThisyearwasdistinguishedbyhisbeingintroducedintothefamilyofMr。Thrale，oneofthemosteminentbrewersinEngland，andMemberofParliamentfortheboroughofSouthwark。Foreignersarenotalittleamazedwhentheyhearofbrewers，distillers，andmeninsimilardepartmentsoftrade，heldforthaspersonsofconsiderableconsequence。Inthisgreatcommercialcountryitisnaturalthatasituationwhichproducesmuchwealthshouldbeconsideredasveryrespectable；and，nodoubt，honestindustryisentitledtoesteem。But，perhaps，thetoorapidadvanceofmenoflowextractiontendstolessenthevalueofthatdistinctionbybirthandgentility，whichhaseverbeenfoundbeneficialtothegrandschemeofsubordination。JohnsonusedtogivethisaccountoftheriseofMr。Thrale’sfather：’Heworkedatsixshillingsaweekfortwentyyearsinthegreatbrewery，whichafterwardswashisown。Theproprietorofithadanonlydaughter，whowasmarriedtoanobleman。Itwasnotfitthatapeershouldcontinuethebusiness。Ontheoldman’sdeath，therefore，thebrewerywastobesold。Tofindapurchaserforsolargeapropertywasadifficultmatter；and，aftersometime，itwassuggested，thatitwouldbeadviseabletotreatwithThrale，asensible，active，honestman，whohadbeenemployedinthehouse，andtotransferthewholetohimforthirtythousandpounds，securitybeingtakenupontheproperty。Thiswasaccordinglysettled。InelevenyearsThralepaidthepurchase-money。Heacquiredalargefortune，andlivedtobeMemberofParliamentforSouthwark。Butwhatwasmostremarkablewastheliberalitywithwhichheusedhisriches。Hegavehissonanddaughtersthebesteducation。Theesteemwhichhisgoodconductprocuredhimfromthenoblemanwhohadmarriedhismaster’sdaughter，madehimbetreatedwithmuchattention；andhisson，bothatschoolandattheUniversityofOxford，associatedwithyoungmenofthefirstrank。Hisallowancefromhisfather，afterheleftcollege，wassplendid；nolessthanathousandayear。This，inamanwhohadrisenasoldThraledid，wasaveryextraordinaryinstanceofgenerosity。Heusedtosay，“IfthisyoungdogdoesnotfindsomuchafterIamgoneasheexpects，lethimrememberthathehashadagreatdealinmyowntime。“’

Theson，thoughinaffluentcircumstances，hadgoodsenseenoughtocarryonhisfather’strade，whichwasofsuchextent，thatI

rememberheoncetoldme，hewouldnotquititforanannuityoftenthousandayear；’Not(saidhe，)thatIgettenthousandayearbyit，butitisanestatetoafamily。’Havingleftdaughtersonly，thepropertywassoldfortheimmensesumofonehundredandthirty-fivethousandpounds；amagnificentproofofwhatmaybedonebyfairtradeinnolongperiodoftime。

Mr。ThralehadmarriedMissHestherLynchSalusbury，ofgoodWelshextraction，aladyoflivelytalents，improvedbyeducation。ThatJohnson’sintroductionintoMr。Thrale’sfamily，whichcontributedsomuchtothehappinessofhislife，wasowingtoherdesireforhisconversation，isverypr

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