The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lives of the Poets: Addison, Savage, and
Swift, by Samuel Johnson

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Title: Lives of the Poets: Addison, Savage, and Swift

Author: Samuel Johnson

Commentator: Henry Morley

Release Date: November, 2003 [EBook #4679]
Posting Date: January 8, 2010

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIVES OF THE POETS ***

Produced by Les Bowler

LIVES OF THE POETS: ADDISON, SAVAGE, and SWIFT

By Samuel Johnson

Contents.

Introduction by Henry Morley.
Joseph Addison.
Richard Savage.
Jonathan Swift.

INTRODUCTION.

Johnson's "Lives of the Poets" were written to serve as Introductions to
a trade edition of the works of poets whom the booksellers selected for
republication. Sometimes, therefore, they dealt briefly with men in whom
the public at large has long ceased to be interested. Richard Savage
would be of this number if Johnson's account of his life had not secured
for him lasting remembrance. Johnson's Life of Savage in this volume has
not less interest than the Lives of Addison and Swift, between which it
is set, although Savage himself has no right at all to be remembered in
such company. Johnson published this piece of biography when his age was
thirty-five; his other lives of poets appeared when that age was about
doubled. He was very poor when the Life of Savage was written for Cave.
Soon after its publication, we are told, Mr. Harte dined with Cave, and
incidentally praised it. Meeting him again soon afterwards Cave said to
Mr. Harte, "You made a man very happy t'other day." "How could that
be?" asked Harte. "Nobody was there but ourselves." Cave answered by
reminding him that a plate of victuals was sent behind a screen, which
was to Johnson, dressed so shabbily that he did not choose to appear.

Johnson, struggling, found Savage struggling, and was drawn to him by
faith in the tale he told. We have seen in our own time how even an
Arthur Orton could find sensible and good people to believe the tale
with which he sought to enforce claim upon the Tichborne baronetcy.
Savage had literary skill, and he could personate the ma