[cc] Dr. Johnson informed Mr. Boswell, that this epilogue was written by
     sir William Yonge.  See Boswell’s Life of Johnson, vol. i. p. 469—­
     70. 8vo. edit. 1804.  The internal evidence, that it is not
     Johnson’s, is very strong, particularly in the line, “But how the
     devil,” &c.
[dd] See Johnson’s letters from Ashbourne, in this volume.

Poems.

PREFATORY OBSERVATIONS

TO THE IMITATIONS OF THE

Third and tenth satires of Juvenal.

We will not examine here Johnson’s poetical merits, since that discussion will more properly introduce his Lives of the Poets, but merely offer some few biographical remarks.  In the poem of London, Mr. Boswell was of opinion, that Johnson did not allude to Savage, under the name of Thales, and adds, for his reason, that Johnson was not so much as acquainted with Savage when he wrote his London.  About a month, however, before he published this poem, he addressed the following lines to him, through the Gentleman’s Magazine, for April, 1738.

  Ad RICARDUM savage.

  Humanani studium generis cui pectore fervet
    O colat humanum te, foveatque, genus!

We cannot certainly infer, from this, an intimacy with Savage, but it is more probable, that these lines flowed from a feeling of private friendship, than mere admiration of an author, in a public point of view; and they, at any rate, give credibility to the general opinion, that, under the name of Thales, the poet referred to the author of the Wanderer, who was, at this time, preparing for his retreat to Wales, whither he actually went in the ensuing year.

The names of Lydiat, Vane, and Sedley, which are brought forward in the poem on the Vanity of Human Wishes, as examples of inefficiency of either learning or beauty, to shield their possessors from distress, have exercised inquiry.  The following is the best account of them we can collect: 

Thomas Lydiat was born in 1572.  After passing through the studies of the university of Oxford, with applause, he was elected fellow of New college; but his defective utterance induced him to resign his fellowship, in order to avoid entering holy orders, and to live upon a small patrimony.  He was highly esteemed by the accomplished and unfortunate prince Henry, son of James the first.  But his hopes of provision in that quarter were blasted by that prince’s premature death; and he then accompanied the celebrated Usher into Ireland.  After two or three years, he returned to England, and poverty induced him now to accept the rectory of Okerton, near Banbury, which he had before declined.  Here he imprudently became security for the debts of a relation, and, being unable to pay, was imprisoned for several years.  He was released, at last, by his patron, Usher, sir W.