ranger to what is called a town life. We are now arrived at the
brightest period, he had hitherto known. His name broke out upon mankind
with a degree of lustre that promised a triumph over all his
difficulties. The life of Savage was admired, as a beautiful and
instructive piece of biography. The two imitations of Juvenal were
thought to rival even the excellence of Pope; and the tragedy of Irene,
though uninteresting on the stage, was universally admired in the
closet, for the propriety of the sentiments, the richness of the
language, and the general harmony of the whole composition. His fame was
widely diffused; and he had made his agreement with the booksellers for
his English dictionary at the sum of fifteen hundred guineas; a part of
which was to be, from time to time, advanced, in proportion to the
progress of the work. This was a certain fund for his support, without
being obliged to write fugitive pieces for the petty supplies of the
day. Accordingly we find that, in 1749, he established a club,
consisting of ten in number, at Horseman's, in Ivy lane, on every
Tuesday evening. This is the first scene of social life to which Johnson
can be traced, out of his own house. The members of this little society
were, Samuel Johnson; Dr. Salter, father of the late master of the
Charter house; Dr. Hawkesworth; Mr. Ryland, a merchant; Mr. Payne, a
bookseller, in Paternoster row; Mr. Samuel Dyer, a learned young man;
Dr. William M'Ghie, a Scotch physician; Dr. Edmund Barker, a young
physician; Dr. Bathurst, another young physician; and sir John Hawkins.
This list is given by sir John, as it should seem, with no other view
than to draw a spiteful and malevolent character of almost every one of
them. Mr. Dyer, whom sir John says he loved with the affection of a
brother, meets with the harshest treatment, because it was his maxim,
that "to live in peace with mankind, and in a temper to do good offices,
was the most essential part of our duty." That notion of moral goodness
gave umbrage to sir John Hawkins, and drew down upon the memory of his
friend, the bitterest imputations. Mr. Dyer, however, was admired and
loved through life. He was a man of literature. Johnson loved to enter
with him into a discussion of metaphysical, moral, and critical
subjects; in those conflicts, exercising his talents, and, according to
his custom, always contending for victory. Dr. Bathurst was the person
on whom Johnson fixed his affection. He hardl