LUCY PORTER TO DR JOHNSON

Southland Times, Issue 23332, 16 October 1937, Page 19

LUCY PORTER TO DR JOHNSON

A “Very Peremptory Maiden’’ The character of Dr Johnson’s stepdaughter, Lucy Porter, has always been something of a puzzle. Gf all the great man’s intimate friends and relatives she remains in many ways the most unknown, doubtless due to the fact that while we are familiar with a number of Johnson’s letters addressed to her, practically none of her replies have survived. Every attempt at characterization has of necessity been based wholly on objective evidence. The discovery, then, of even a single letter written by Lucy Porter to her stepfather assumes more importance than might otherwise be the case. It seems certain that shortly before his death Johnson destroyed the greater part of his family correspondence. Together with those from his own mother, all letters from Lichfield were probably consigned to the flames. One single sheet from Lucy Porter, however, escaped, since it had fallen into the clutches of the Mistress of Streatham who, like her rival the distant Scot, carefully saved every available scrap of information about her famous friend. So it happens that the letter has recently been found among a mass of miscellaneous papers once the property of Mrs Thrale-Piozzi.

A HOME IN LICHFIELD A few words about Lucy Porter may not be out of place as an introduction to the letter itself. As every reader of Boswell knows, she inherited a considerable fortune from a brother and built a fine house in Lichfield, in which Johnson often stayed. A typical rural old maid, she had never once been to London. From numerous references m Johnson’s correspondence we may guess that the bond between the two at first was none too strong. He wrote rather caustically to Baretti in 1762 that Lucy had “lost the beauty and gaiety of youth, without having gained much of the wisdom of age” (Life I, 370). Five years later he admitted that she was “more kind and civil” than he expected, and, in a still later letter to Mrs Thrale, explained his stepdaughter’s attitude: “Lucy is a philosopher; and considers me as one of the external and accidental things that are to be taken and left without emotion” (Letters, 190, 260). With the passing years, and the breaking of other ties, Lucy found more pleasure in his company, and often urged him to stay longer than he had planned. In 1775 he wrote: “Lucy says I must not go this week. Fits of tenderness with Mrs Lucy are not common; but she seems now to have a little paroxysm . . (427). As a result, Johnson’s own references in his letters became more and more complimentary. His affectionate regard increased for the one remaining link with “dear Tetty” and the past. Lucy was no BlueStocking to draw out literary repartee, and sometimes he found her a trifle “inarticulate”; but she could manage him better than any of his other friends. He patiently accepted her rebukes where those of a great Lady would only have caused a scene. After both were dead Miss Mary Adey wrote, “Poor Doctor Johnson was always in fears of Incommoding his Dear Lucy—l have heard him often say no Person ever kept him in so much order as Lucy— I am sure he was ever attentive and kind to her, and she has frequently behaved most ungraciously to him, but she was a strange woman . , (Rylands MS.). THE LETTER In 1780 Lucy was sixty-four years old, and her stepfather seventy. On April 8 he wrote from London, admitting that he was a “sluggish correspondent,” full of news of Thrale’s recent stroke, and his own ill-health. He added, “a few weeks ago I sent you a little stuff gown, such as is all the fashion at this time. Yours is the same with Mrs Thrale’s, and Miss bought it for us . . .” (656). A week later Lucy replied:—

Sir,—l received your Letter on Monday last, as you Say you are but a very sluggish correspondent. I shou’d write more frequent, but that it proceeds from inability. I am now very poorly and all over pain, it gives me great pleasure to hear your health is so much better, you have my prayers for a continuance of it. you are very kind in sending my Brother such a quantity of Sermons, I hope he will make a good use of them, he tells me he goes on very prosperously in his business, some time ago I receiv’d a Stuff gown, but not any Letter, or note with it, I guess’d it might come from you, therefore ventured to make it up. and return a great many thanks for it, and am much obliged, that you shou’d think of me ih the fashionable way, they have been worn at this place great part of the winter, I am not at all fond of Stuffs, but that you Sent me is by far the pretty’st I have seen. I have been visiting in my new gown, and it was much admired by the Connoisseurs in dress. lam very glad to hear Mr Thrale is better, I hope he will get quite well, but I think his case very alarming. I beg my compliments to Mrs Thrale, particularly to Miss Thrale, with thanks for buying my gown, tell her I think she has an elegant tast. I want to know if she bought it in London, if she did, the carrior has cheat’d me in the carriage, for he made me pay, two Shillings and two pence by the Chester Coach, and I do not like to be cheat’d if the sum be ever so small, as I remember you had a little Silver half pint cup, I wish you wou’d give it me, or lend it me, for I always drink my beer and ale, warm, and break all the cups I come near, I just now broke, a very fine china half pint, if you have a convenient opportunity of sending it do otherwise I shall be much obliged If you will bring it with you. when you come to Lichfield. Mr Pearson sends his best respects to you, and wishes you health, and life as long as will be agreeable to your self. Cobb, and Adey, say there are bodys that care for you, they both send compliments, and join with me. in hopeing to see you quite well, sometime this summer. I shall be glad to hear from you soon, and am Sir your Obliged humble Servant LUCY PORTER Lichfield april ye 15th. 1780 Whatever may be said of this letter, it cannot be maintained that it is unrevealing. The managing, economical, plain-spoken Lucy of tradition is clothed in flesh and blood, but it is a likeable personality which emerges. We still might refuse to agree to the acid estimate of another of the Lichfield ladies, Anna Seward, who described her “down right honesty, seldom expanding into generosity; her illiterate shrewdness, cherished vulgarism, and mulish obstinacy” (Rylands MS.). “The Swan of Lichfield” would hardly have sympathized with the breaker of china half-pints. But to us today the disturbing problem of the warming beer is of vital interest, and we would like to know if Johnson’s silver cup ever found its way to Lichfield. Knowing the power of that “very peremptory maiden” over her stepfather, we may safely guess it did.—From The Times Literary Supplement.

Neu) Magazines A LIBRARY LIST The following is a list of articles on current topics selected from the September magazines to hand at the reading room of the Invercargill Public Library:— CONTEMPORARY REVIEW: Palestine Problem. Japan Rides for a Fall. War in Spain. France: a causerie. Education and International Relations. Background of the Fight for Mongolia. New Light on Agadir. CURRENT HISTORY: Labour in America. Arms over Europe. Ibn Sa’ud of Arabia. Partition of Palestine. What About Our Ships. Swastika over England. Lets Trade with Britain. FORTNIGHTLY: Retreat from Geneva. Chaining the Dragon. Steel and the Nation. Inside Germany. England Through Foreign Eyes. A Year of Non-Intervention. NATIONAL REVIEW: Rome-Ber-lin Axis. Australasia and the Conference. Give the Emigrant a Square Deal. Cricket Musings. NINETEENTH CENTURY: Palestine. The Army Today. On Spanish Civil Wars. Far Eastern Crisis. Labour and the League of Nations. Reform of the Calendar. ROUND TABLE: New World Situation. Smoke and Fire in the Far East. Palestine Report and After. Booms, Slumps and Armaments. Irish Voter’s Decision.