第66章

ThisletterwasbroughttoDr。Johnsonwheninchurch。Hestoopeddownandreadit，andwrote，whenhewenthome，thefollowingletterforDr。DoddtotheKing：

’SIR，——MayitnotoffendyourMajesty，thatthemostmiserableofmenapplieshimselftoyourclemency，ashislasthopeandhislastrefuge；thatyourmercyismostearnestlyandhumblyimploredbyaclergyman，whomyourLawsandJudgeshavecondemnedtothehorrourandignominyofapublickexecution……’

Subjoinedtoitwaswrittenasfollows：——

’TODR。DODD。

’SIR，——ImostseriouslyenjoinyounottoletitbeatallknownthatIhavewrittenthisletter，andtoreturnthecopytoMr。

Alleninacovertome。IhopeIneednottellyou，thatIwishitsuccess——Butdonotindulgehope——Tellnobody。’

IthappenedluckilythatMr。Allenwaspitchedontoassistinthismelancholyoffice，forhewasagreatfriendofMr。Akerman，thekeeperofNewgate。Dr。JohnsonneverwenttoseeDr。Dodd。Hesaidtome，’itwouldhavedoneHIMmoreharm，thangoodtoDodd，whoonceexpressedadesiretoseehim，butnotearnestly。’

AllapplicationsfortheRoyalMercyhavingfailed，Dr。Doddpreparedhimselffordeath；and，withawarmthofgratitude，wrotetoDr。Johnsonasfollows：——

’June25，Midnight。

’Accept，thouGREATandGOODheart，myearnestandferventthanksandprayersforallthybenevolentandkindeffortsinmybehalf——

Oh!Dr。Johnson!asIsoughtyourknowledgeatanearlyhourinlife，wouldtoheavenIhadcultivatedtheloveandacquaintanceofsoexcellentaman!——IprayGODmostsincerelytoblessyouwiththehighesttransports——theinfeltsatisfactionofHUMANEandbenevolentexertions!——Andadmitted，asItrustIshallbe，totherealmsofblissbeforeyou，IshallhailYOURarrivaltherewithtransports，andrejoicetoacknowledgethatyouwasmyComforter，myAdvocateandmyFRIEND!GODBEEVERWITHYOU!’

Dr。JohnsonlastlywrotetoDr。Doddthissolemnandsoothingletter：——

’TOTHEREVERENDDR。DODD。

’DEARSIR，——Thatwhichisappointedtoallmenisnowcominguponyou。Outwardcircumstances，theeyesandthethoughtsofmen，arebelowthenoticeofanimmortalbeingabouttostandthetrialforeternity，beforetheSupremeJudgeofheavenandearth。Becomforted：yourcrime，morallyorreligiouslyconsidered，hasnoverydeepdyeofturpitude。Itcorruptednoman’sprinciples；itattackednoman’slife。Itinvolvedonlyatemporaryandreparableinjury。Ofthis，andofallothersins，youareearnestlytorepent；andmayGOD，whoknowethourfrailty，anddesirethnotourdeath，acceptyourrepentance，forthesakeofhisSONJESUSCHRIST

ourLord。

’Inrequitalofthosewell-intendedofficeswhichyouarepleasedsoemphaticallytoacknowledge，letmebegthatyoumakeinyourdevotionsonepetitionformyeternalwelfare。Iam，dearSir，youraffectionateservant，’June26，1777。’

’SAM。JOHNSON。’

UnderthecopyofthisletterIfoundwritten，inJohnson’sownhand，’Nextday，June27，hewasexecuted。’

Tuesday，September16，Dr。JohnsonhavingmentionedtometheextraordinarysizeandpriceofsomecattlerearedbyDr。Taylor，I

rodeoutwithourhost，surveyedhisfarm，andwasshownonecowwhichhehadsoldforahundredandtwen

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