A new minister can sacrifice little to esteem or friendship;
he must, till he is settled, think only of extending his interest.
* * * * *
'If you come hither through Edinburgh, send for Mrs. Stewart, and give
from me another guinea for the letter in the old case, to which I shall
not be satisfied with my claim, till she gives it me.
'Please to bring with you Baxter's _Anacreon_[819]; and if you procure
heads of _Hector Boece_[820], the historian, and _Arthur Johnston_[821],
the poet, I will put them in my room[822]; or any other of the fathers
of Scottish literature.
'I wish you an easy and happy journey, and hope I need not tell you that
you will be welcome to, dear Sir,
'Your most affectionate, humble servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'London, March 18, 1784.'
I wrote to him, March 28, from York, informing him that I had a high
gratification in the triumph of monarchical principles over
aristocratical influence, in that great country, in an address to the
King[823]; that I was thus far on my way to him, but that news of the
dissolution of Parliament having arrived, I was to hasten back to my own
county, where I had carried an Address to his Majesty by a great
majority, and had some intention of being a candidate to represent the
county in Parliament.
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