'
In the _Gent. Mag._ 1793, p. 197, were given extracts abusive of Johnson
from some foolish letters that passed between Miss Seward and Hayley, a
poet her equal in feebleness. Boswell, in his _Corrections and Additions
to the First Edition_ (_ante_, i.10), corrected an error into which he
had been led by Miss Seward (_ante_, i.92, note 2). She, in the _Gent.
Mag._ for 1793, p.875, defended herself and attacked him. His reply is
found on p.1009. He says:--'As my book was to be a _real history_, and
not a _novel_, it was necessary to suppress all erroneous particulars,
however entertaining.' (_Ante_, ii 467, note 4.) He continues:--'So far
from having any hostile disposition towards this Lady, I have, in my
_Life of Dr. Johnson_...quoted a compliment paid by him to one of her
poetical pieces; and I have withheld his opinion of herself, thinking
that she might not like it. I am afraid it has reached her by some other
means; and thus we may account for various attacks by her on her
venerable townsman since his decease...What are we to think of the
scraps of letters between her and Mr.
Pages:
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904