454 Letters of Dr. Johnson.

quickly happen, come, if you can, to dine this day with me. It will give pleasure to a sick friend T .

I am,

Madam,

Yours affectionately,

Oct. 23, 1783. SAM: J HNSON -

To Mrs. Reynolds 2 .

��TO MR. SASTRES 3 .

SIR,

I am very much displeased with myself for my negligence on Monday. I had totally forgotten my engagement to you

and Mr. , for which I desire you to make my apologies to

Mr. , and tell him that if he will give me leave to repay his

visit, I will take the first opportunity of waiting on him.

I am, Sir, Your most humble servant,

SAM: JOHNSON.

April 25, [1784.]

April 26, Evening. To Mr. Sastres, at Mr. Bookseller in Mortimer Street 4 , Oxford Road.

��To GRIFFITH TONES s . SIR,

You are accustomed to consider Advertisements, and to observe what stile has most effect upon the Publick. I shall

1 He had written to her on Albany, New York, forwarded to me

Oct. I : ' I am very ill indeed To by Professor Lounsbury of Yale, who

my other afflictions is added soli- informs me that the blanks in the

tude.' Letters, ii. 337. On the 27th letter stand for a name that has been

he wrote to Mrs. Thrale : ' I have most carefully obliterated.

now neither pain nor sickness. ... 4 Johnson wrote to Sastres on

But I am very solitary.' Ib. p. 345. August 21, 1784 : ' I am glad that

2 Miss Reynolds, who was fifty- a letter has at last reached you ; four years old, in accordance with what became of the two former, which the common custom, was now digni- were directed to Mortimer instead fied as Mrs. Reynolds. Ib. i. 367, of Margaret-street, I have no means n. 4. of knowing.' Ib. ii. 414.

3 From a copy of the original in 5 From the European Magazine the possession of Mr. Thacher of for September, 1798, p. 163.

think

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