anion was cousin of the man who wrote him the most
famous of letters.

The mother of Cornelius Ford was a Crowley, and this brings Johnson into
relationship with London city worthies, for Mrs. Ford's brother was Sir
Ambrose Crowley, Kt., Alderman, of London, the original of Addison's Jack
Anvil. One of Sir Ambrose Crowley's daughters married Humphrey Parsons,
sometime M.P. for London and twice Lord Mayor. Thus we see that during
the very years of Johnson's most painful struggle in London one of his
distant cousins or connexions was Chief Magistrate of this City. Another
connexion, Elizabeth Crowley, was married in 1724 at Westminster Abbey to
John, tenth Lord St. John of Bletsoe. "Here are ancestors for you,
Mistress," Dr. Johnson might have said to Mrs. Thrale if he had only
known--if he had had a genealogist at his elbow as well as a pushful
biographer.

Mr. Reade prints the whole of the marriage settlement upon the union of
Johnson's mother and father. It is a very elaborate document, and
suggests the undoubted prosperity of the parties at the time. The
husband was fifty, the bride thirty-seven. Samuel was not born until
three years and three months after the marriage. The pair frequently in
early married life received assistance by convenient deaths as the
following extracts from wills indicate:--

_Cornelius Ford of Packwood in the Co. of Warwick_.

I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law Michaell Johnson the sum of
five pounds, and to his wife my daughter five and twenty pounds.

Proved May 1, 1709.

_Jane Ford of Old Turnford_, _widow of Joseph Ford_.

I do will and appoint that my son Cornelius Ford do and shall pay to
my brother-in-law, Mr. Michael Johnson and his wife and their
trustees, the sum of 200 pounds which is directed by his late father's
Will to be paid to me and in lieu of so much moneys which my said late
husband received in trust for my said brother Johnson and his wife.

Proved at Worcester, October 2, 1722.

Then "good cousin Harriotts" does not forget them:--

I give and bequeath to my cousin Sarah the wife of Michael Johnson the
like sum of 40 pounds for her own separate use, and one pair of my
best flaxen sheets and pillow coats, a large pewter dish and a dozen
of pewter plates, provided that her husband doth at the same time give
the like bond to my executor to permit his wife to dispose of the same
at her will and pleasure