CHAPTER III. Thrale enters Parliament-Mrs. Thrale gains Influence-Her AcquirementsOutshines her Husband-Her Conversation-Miss Williams's Miscellanies -Floretta--The Three Warnings-Dissolution of Parliament-John Wilkes -Thrale re-elected - Boswell at Streatham - Literary Talk - Johnson's Political Pamphlets-Verses at the Theatre-Thrale in Difficulties-Humphrey Jackson-Mrs. Thrale shows herself a Woman of BusinessJohnson's Advice-Thrale out of Health-Alteration in him-Mr. Perkins -Conversations at Streatham-Johnson's Estimate of Mrs. Thrale-Thrale created Doctor-Death of Mrs. Salusbury-Johnson's Visit-His Letters to Mrs. Thrale-His Ode written in Skye-He will not suffer Boswell to slight Mrs. Thrale-Death of Sir Thomas Salusbury-Disappointment and Misfortunes-'The Journey to the Western Islands'-Excursion to WalesVisits to Lleweny Hall and Bâchygraig-Johnson accuses his Mistress of Meanness-Bodvel-Visits to Lords Sandys and Lyttelton-General Election -Electioneering with Johnson-Project of bringing Johnson into Parliament. BUT, in the connection between them and Johnson, the benefits which the Thrales conferred were not greater than those which accrued to themselves. Under the influence of their new associate, the brewer improved his standing before the world, and the wife was allowed her just position in her husband's family. The remains of the bachelorhood disappeared. The foxhounds were sold. Thrale aspired to a seat in Parliament. This he presently obtained, being returned for Southwark at a byelection before the end of 1765. 'I grew useful now,' says the lady; almost necessary-wrote the advertisements, looked to the treats, and people to whom I was till then unknown, admired how happy Mr. Thrale must be in such a wonder of a wife."* There can be no doubt, * Hayward's Piozzi,' ii. 23. Mrs. Thrale's Acquirements. 45 too, that Johnson's good opinion of Mrs. Thrale's powers contributed greatly to raise her in the esteem of her husband. Though she sometimes provoked his censure, the sage treated her with deference, suffered her to argue with him on equal terms, and on occasion would even appeal to her as a literary authority. A few disparaging expressions which Boswell has put into Johnson's mouth must be read with due remembrance of the quarrel between the Doctor's biographers. It is perfectly true, doubtless, that no man was ever more master of his wife and family than Thrale, and that if he but held up a finger he was obeyed. But if Johnson ever said, as his Life alleges, that Thrale had ten times the learning of his wife, and that her learning was that of a schoolboy in one of the lower forms, the remark must have been intended to apply to verbal scholarship alone. Mrs. Thrale's knowledge of Latin grammar may have been inaccurate, yet that her reading in Latin, as well as in modern languages, was considerable, her writings clearly show. Henry Thrale had passed through the University, but there is no record of his having preserved any permanent interest in books, beyond the statement in his epitaph, that 'Inter mille mercaturæ negotia, literarum elegantiam minimè neglexit,'* which, after all, proves nothing, for the author was Johnson, who used to say that in lapidary inscriptions a man is not upon oath. In social gifts Thrale bore no comparison with his wife. The utmost that Johnson could say for his friend's conversation was that, although it did not mark the minutes, it generally struck the hour pretty correctly. The brewer is described by Madame d'Arblay as a man who 'found a singular amusement in hearing, instigating, Though engaged in a very extensive business, he found some time to apply to polite literature." 46 Her Conversation. and provoking a war of words, alternating triumph and overthrow between clever and ambitious colloquial disputants.'* Hence he was mostly a listener at table, whether in his own house or another's. His wife attributed his taciturnity to the cares of business and the pressure of anxiety. But doubtless he had little or nothing to say on the topics which his company discussed. His silence sometimes provoked Johnson, who on one occasion blamed him for sitting at General Oglethorpe's without speaking, and observed that a man was to be censured for degrading himself to a nonentity. Mrs. Thrale was in no danger of incurring this reproach. She had a natural talent for conversation, which she improved by constant and assiduous practice, till she became one of the most famous female talkers of her time. Many testimonies to her brilliancy are on record, some of them showing the discipline exercised over her by Johnson. According to Madame d'Arblay, her celebrity exceeded that of either of the blue-stocking queens, Mrs. Vesey and Mrs. Montagu. 'Mrs. Vesey, indeed, gentle and diffident, dreamed not of any competition; but Mrs. Montagu and Mrs. Thrale were set up as rival candidates for colloquial eminence, and each of them thought the other alone worthy to be her peer. Whenever they met, therefore, a contest for superiority ensued.' Sir Nathaniel Wraxall says: 'Mrs. Thrale always appeared to me to possess at least as much information, a mind as cultivated, and more brilliancy of intellect than Mrs. Montagu; but she did not descend among men from such an eminence, and she talked much more, as well as more unguardedly, on every subject. She was the provider and conductress of Dr. Johnson, who lived almost constantly under her roof, or, more properly, under that of * Memoirs of Dr. Burney,' ii. 104. Mr. Thrale, both in town and at Streatham. He did not, however, spare her more than other women in his attacks, if she courted and provoked his animadversions.' Nevertheless, he valued himself extremely on his pupil. Miss Reynolds, in her Recollections,' mentions that he used to dwell on her praises with a peculiar delight, and paternal fondness that expressed his pride in being so intimately acquainted with her. In 1766 Miss Williams, with Johnson's assistance, published a volume of Miscellanies.' Miscellanies.' Her protector furnished the preface, and contributed several pieces. Boswell ends his account of the collection by saying: "The Fountains," a beautiful little fairy tale in prose, written with exquisite simplicity, is one of Johnson's productions; and I cannot withhold from Mrs. Thrale. the praise of being the author of that admirable poem, "The Three Warnings." The jealous biographer does not mention, perhaps he did not know, that the character of Floretta in 'The Fountains' was intended for Mrs. Thrale. Sixteen years later, when Thrale was dead, and the newspapers had begun to couple his widow's name with Piozzi's, she reminded her old friend of the compliment he had paid her. 'The newspapers,' she wrote in February, 1782, 'would spoil my few comforts that are left if they could; but you tell me that's only because I have the reputation, whether true or false, of being a wit, forsooth; and you rememember poor Floretta, who was teased into wishing away her spirit, her beauty, her fortune, and at last even her life, never could bear the bitter water which was to have washed away her wit, which she resolved to keep with all its consequences.'* Mrs. Thrale was throughout her life a fluent writer of 'Letters to and from the late Samuel Johnson, published by Hester Lynch Piozzi,' ii. 233. We shall cite this book hereafter under the name of the Piozzi Letters. 48 The Three Warnings. verses. We give here the contribution to Miss Williams's 'Miscellany' as the earliest and best known among the extant specimens of her talent: THE THREE WARNINGS. A TALE The tree of deepest root is found When pains grow sharp and sickness rages, This great affection to believe, If old affections can't prevail, Be pleased to hear a modern tale. When sports went round, and all were gay, And looking grave, 'You must,' says he, Quit your sweet bride, and come with me.' His hour-glass tumbled while he spoke, Of cruelty upon my name, To give you time for preparation, |