DR. JOHNSON'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1935, Page 25

DR. JOHNSON'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

"It was Dr. Johnson's New Year habit," writes "G. J." iin the "Manchester Guardian," to.; compose and use special prayers on all sorts of occasions in his life—air Johnson-lovers-will recall those on'the "Dictionary" and the "Hambler"—on. his birthday, the anniversary of his wife's death, at Easter, and at the New Year.

"The first is dated 'January 1; mane lh 33m.,' (i.e.,.33 minutes past one in the morning); 1773, when Johnson was sixty-four years of age:— :

■' /" 'Almighty God, by whose mercy my life has been yet prolonged to another year, grant that- Thy mercy may not be in vain. ■ Let hot my years be multiplied tp increase my guilt;- but as age advances, let >me • becpme more pure in my thoughts, more regular in my desires,, and more obedient to Thy laws. Let not the cares pf the. world distract mej nor the evils of ageT overwhelm me. But and increase Thy loving-kindness towards,me; and when Thou shalt call me hence,.receive me to everlasting happiness, for the sake of-Jesus Christ bur Lord. Amen.'

"On January 1, 1769, he writes:— ■•-" 'I am not yet in a state toTform many resolutions; I purpose and* hope to rise early in the morning, at eight, and by degrees at six, eight.being the latest hour 'to which /bedtime, can...be properly extended;, arid six/;the earliest ■: that: the:;present 'systemKpfi^life requires:'. y.v /.'■ /■/• ■:.fi}:^:-/.s^\

"Five- years later we teaJ:S'

'-''."'I hope.,■■'-■■? -■':•■. \'yy-\_ :m^siis::s:^ '"To read the Gospels-befdreSE~as|er. " 'To: rise at height, -r :^,.;.; Sv^K^ " 'To- be temperate: in»fppdi;;;;':3rf;^ "I know," adds ."G.J.," "it is easy to let oneself become; cynical about resolutions of this sort. Were they effective even^ in Johnson's own case? For how long/together • did all his vows about early rising turn him out

of bed an hour the sooner? Nevertheless, good resolutions made and registered will sometimes act as a.kind of external •. conscience and help- .to hold us-to our duty.^'f <_ :■■■::':\ -A-... ..-■'■

i "And if it be said ' that Italy/ the weak have need of any such external props, the- answer is, of course; that many of .us, though/well-intentioned, are weak and are all the better- for having something to lean upon. ' "Matthew Arnold used;pften,.at the beginning of a year, to draw, up a list of the, books which he hoped to read before its close) and though he, often fell; short of: what he, proposed,, yet even he—accomplished man of'letters as he was—found that his list;kept his reading at -.• a higher- level: than it would have been without it.

"Perhaps after all, then,/ there may be. something to be said for the,making of New. Year resolutions oh=matters =cf even higher importance ttiari the books we read.. And if it: be true, as the old Iproverb has it, that Hell is paved with good intentions, isiit'any. less true, as somebody, has said,-.that Heaven is roofed with them?"- .■■.■-■:.-■". •

"How lavish? Time is!" writes "Philemon" in the *,'Star." : . '"Here.-are ?365 days coming'to me, 8760. ; hpurs... Have you ever calculated that, supposing you are an ordinary working.,- man, working . (shall; we/ say?); eight' hours a day, and sleeping (let us-hppeV eight hours, you have eight hours out of every twenty T four as leisure? , You rget half a .day off ;on Saturday, and a whole day off on Sunday; and we'll say nothins about/holidays. ,'• ■•■/- :'.

"You will, have 2920 hours' sleep, this year—and Heaven send you rest and sweet -dreams! You will d0.229<? •hours'" work this year—and my' Vst wish-.for you; is that you may be h^ppy in it. whatever it is. - And you will have 3544 hours' leisure." ■■- ■)■ ■■