Farringdon Without History of the Most Interesting Places, Leading Events; and Some Account of the Eminent Men connected therewith, since the year 1600
Francis, Adolphus Decimus
1870
Bolt Court
At No. 8 lived Dr. Johnson for the last twenty years of his life. Johnson, who wrote " Rasselas," one of the most charming tales in the English language, " The Lives of the Poets," containing a critical analysis of the leading poetical minds ; Johnson, of whom Garrick said, and truly so
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This eulogium places in sufficient prominence the fact, that Johnson produced a Dictionary of the English lan guage--for it is to this dictionary Garrick specially alluded --so complete that it out-distances and out-perfections the French Dictionary that occupied the thoughts and intel lects of the whole Academie Francaise, consisting of forty | |
28 | members. Johnson, who was born at Lichfield in , and died , had many peculiarities which have come to us minutely photographed. He is in his private life better known to us than any other celebrity: through the instrumentality of Boswell, we know everything anent him; "his hat, coat, wig, figure, face, scrofula--his St. Vitus's dance, his rolling walk, blinking eye, and the too outward signs on his visage of his gluttonous propensities, his voracity for fishsauce, craving for tea; his trick of touching the posts, his hoarding orange peel; his contortions, his mutterings, gruntings, puffings, his sarcastic wit, his insolence, his rage "-all are stereotyped by Boswell, the spy, the tattler, and the sycophant. |
In Bolt Court lived , where he wrote and printed his " Political Register," and sold Indian Corn. The Register was subsequently published at 83, Fleet Street ; and the famous Gridiron, which was his emblem or trade mark, was exhibited here. Cobbett was one of the most remarkable men of his time; born in , his birth, station, employment, ignorance, temper, and character, in early life, were all against him; he overcame them all, and produced a French and English Grammar, and several political works, exhibiting a very high order of genius. Most of his studies were carried on under the arduous duties and midst the great privations which fall to the lot of a common soldier on active service. As a main self | |
29 | educated, he is a memorable example of what can be achieved by self-reliance and indomitable perseverance. He died in . |
