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Autobiography, Letters and Literary Remains of Mrs. Piozzi (Thrale) (2nd ed.) (2 vols.) / Edited with notes and Introductory Account of her life and writings cover

Autobiography, Letters and Literary Remains of Mrs. Piozzi (Thrale) (2nd ed.) (2 vols.) / Edited with notes and Introductory Account of her life and writings

Chapter 3: EDITED WITH NOTES
By Hester Lynch Piozzi
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A collected memoir and correspondence presents the life, diaries, marginal notes, and letters of a prominent literary hostess and correspondent, accompanied by an editor's biographical introduction. It chronicles domestic and social life at a celebrated literary household, intimate exchanges with a leading lexicographer, contested anecdotes and editorial controversies, travel journals and marginalia, and later years in Italy and Wales. Editorial annotations and newly recovered extracts illuminate personal relationships, publication history, and public reception, while assorted essays, verse fragments, and administrative papers record management of family affairs and ongoing literary activity.

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Title: Autobiography, Letters and Literary Remains of Mrs. Piozzi (Thrale) (2nd ed.) (2 vols.)

Author: Hester Lynch Piozzi

Editor: A. Hayward

Release date: February 14, 2005 [eBook #15045]
Most recently updated: December 14, 2020

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Leonard Johnson and the PG Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUTOBIOGRAPHY, LETTERS AND LITERARY REMAINS OF MRS. PIOZZI (THRALE) (2ND ED.) (2 VOLS.) ***

Portrait of Mrs. Piozzi

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

LETTERS AND LITERARY REMAINS

OF

MRS. PIOZZI (THRALE)

EDITED WITH NOTES

AND

AN INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT OF HER LIFE AND WRITINGS

BY

A. HAYWARD, ESQ. Q.C.

Welcome, Associate Forms, where'er we turn Fill, Streatham's Hebe, the Johnsonian urn—St. Stephen's
In Two Volumes
VOL. I.
SECOND EDITION

LONDON
LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS
1861

PREFACE

TO

THE SECOND EDITION.

THE first edition of a work of this kind is almost necessarily imperfect; since the editor is commonly dependent for a great deal of the required information upon sources the very existence of which is unknown to him till reminiscences are revived, and communications invited, by the announcement or publication of the book. Some valuable contributions reached me too late to be properly placed or effectively worked up; some, too late to be included at all. The arrangement in this edition will therefore, I trust, be found less faulty than in the first, whilst the additions are large and valuable. They principally consist of fresh extracts from Mrs. Piozzi's private diary ("Thraliana"), amounting to more than fifty pages; of additional marginal notes on books, and of copious extracts from letters hitherto unpublished.

Amongst the effects of her friend Conway, the actor, after his untimely death by drowning in North America, were a copy of Mrs. Piozzi's "Travel Book" and a copy of Johnson's "Lives of the Poets," each enriched by marginal notes in her handwriting. Such of those in the "Travel Book" as were thought worth printing appeared in "The Atlantic Monthly" for June last, from which I have taken the liberty of copying the best. The "Lives of the Poets" is now the property of Mr. William Alexander Smith, of New York, who was so kind as to open a communication with me on the subject, and to have the whole of the marginal notes transcribed for my use at his expense.

Animated by the same liberal wish to promote a literary undertaking, Mr. J.E. Gray, son of the Rev. Dr. Robert Gray, late Bishop of Bristol, has placed at my disposal a series of letters from Mrs. Piozzi to his father, extending over nearly twenty-five years (from 1797 to the year of her death) and exceeding a hundred in number. These have been of the greatest service in enabling me to complete and verify the summary of that period of her life.

So much light is thrown by the new matter, especially by the extracts from "Thraliana," on the alleged rupture between Johnson and Mrs. Piozzi, that I have re-cast or re-written the part of the Introduction relating to it, thinking that no pains should be spared to get at the merits of a controversy which now involves, not only the moral and social qualities of the great lexicographer, but the degree of confidence to be placed in the most brilliant and popular of modern critics, biographers and historians. It is no impeachment of his integrity, no detraction from the durable elements of his fame, to offer proof that his splendid imagination ran away with him, or that reliance on his wonderful memory made him careless of verifying his original impressions before recording them in the most gorgeous and memorable language.

No one likes to have foolish or erroneous notions imputed to him, and I have pointed out some of the misapprehensions into which an able writer in the "Edinburgh Review" (No. 231) has been hurried by his eagerness to vindicate Lord Macaulay. Moreover, this struck me to be as good a form as any for re-examining the subject in all its bearings; and now that it has become common to reprint articles in a collected shape, the comments of a first-rate review can no longer be regarded as transitory.

I gladly seize the present opportunity to offer my best acknowledgments for kind and valuable aid in various shapes, to the Marquis of Lansdowne, His Excellency M. Sylvain Van de Weyer (the Belgian Minister), the Viscountess Combermere, Mr. and the Hon. Mrs. Monckton Milnes, the Hon. Mrs. Rowley, Miss Angharad Lloyd, and the Rev. W.H. Owen, Vicar of St. Asaph and Dymerchion.

8, St. James's Street:
Oct. 18th, 1861.

CONTENTS

OF

THE FIRST VOLUME

PAGE

  • Origin and Materials of the Work3-7
  • Object of the Introduction7
  • Origin, Education, and Character of Thrale7-11
  • Introduction of Johnson to the Thrales 11-14
  • Johnson's Habits at the Period14-20
  • His Household21-24
  • His Social Position25
  • Society at Streatham 26
  • Blue Stocking Parties 27-28
  • Johnson's Fondness for Female Society 29-35
  • Nature of his Intimacy with Mrs. Thrale35
  • His Verses to her36-38
  • Her Age39-40
  • Her Personal Appearance and Handwriting41-42
  • Portraits of her43-44
  • Boswell at Streatham 44-48
  • Her Behaviour to Johnson48
  • Her Acquirements49-52
  • Johnson's Estimate of her53-57
  • Popular Estimate of her58
  • Manners of her Time59
  • Madame D'Arblay at Streatham60
  • Her Account of Conversations there61-67
  • Johnson's Politeness 68
  • Mrs. Thrale's Domestic Trials69-70
  • Electioneering with Johnson71
  • Thrale's Embarrassments, and Johnson's Advice72-74
  • Johnson on Housekeeping and Dress75-77
  • His Opinions on Marriage78
  • Johnson in the Country79-80
  • Johnson fond of riding in a Carriage, but a bad Traveller80-81
  • His Want of Taste for Music or Painting82
  • Tour in Wales82-89
  • Tour in France90-91
  • Baretti91-99
  • Campbell's Diary99-102
  • Mrs. Thrale's Account of her Quarrel with Baretti103-108
  • His Account108
  • Alleged Slight to Johnson109
  • Miss Streatfield110-122
  • Thrale's Infidelity123
  • Madame D'Arblay as an Inmate124-126
  • Dr. Burney127
  • Mrs. Thrale canvassing Southwark127
  • Attack by Rioters on the Brewhouse128
  • Thrale's Illness and Winter in Grosvenor Square129-131
  • Proposed Tour131-132
  • Thrale's Death132-136
  • His Will137
  • Johnson as Executor138
  • Her Management of the Brewery139-140
  • Italian Translation141
  • A strange Incident142
  • Mrs. Montagu—Mr. Crutchley143-144
  • Sale of the Brewery144-147
  • Mrs. Thrale's Introduction to Piozzi147
  • Scene with him at Dr. Burney's148-151
  • Her early Impressions of him152-153
  • Melancholy Reflections154
  • Johnson's Regard for Thrale155-156
  • Mrs. Thrale's and Johnson's Feelings towards each other156-160
  • Johnson at Streatham after Thrale's Death161
  • Piozzi—Verses to him162
  • Johnson's Health163
  • Self-Communings164
  • Town Gossip165
  • Verses on Pacchierotti165-167
  • Fears for Johnson167
  • Reports of her marrying again167-168
  • Reasons for quitting Streatham169
  • Resolution to quit approved by Johnson 169-170
  • Complaints of Johnson's Indifference171
  • Piozzi—to marry or not to marry 172-175
  • Was Johnson driven out of Streatham176
  • His Farewell to Streatham177-178
  • His last Year there179-185
  • Johnson and Mrs. Thrale at Brighton186-188
  • Conflicting Feelings 189
  • Gives up Piozzi190-191
  • Meditated Journey to Italy192
  • Parting with Piozzi193-195
  • Unkindness of Daughters197
  • Position as regards Johnson198
  • Objections to him as an Inmate199-204
  • Parting with Piozzi205
  • Verses to him on his Departure206
  • Her undiminished Regard for Johnson proved by
  • their Correspondence 207-214
  • Character of Daughters212
  • Madame D'Arblay, Scene with Johnson214-216
  • Lord Brougham's Commentary216
  • Correspondence with Johnson217-219
  • Recall of Piozzi220-221
  • Trip to London222-223
  • Verses to Piozzi on his Return224
  • Journey with Daughters225
  • Feelings on Piozzi's Return, and Marriage226
  • Objections to her Second Marriage discussed227-230
  • Correspondence with Madame D'Arblay on the Marriage231-233
  • Objections of Daughters—Lady Keith233-236
  • Correspondence with Johnson as to the Marriage236-243
  • Baretti's Story of her alleged Deceit 243-247
  • Her uniform Kindness to Johnson247-248
  • Johnson's Feelings and Conduct249-251
  • Miss Wynn's Commonplace Book251-253
  • Johnson's unfounded Objections to the Marriage and erroneous Impressions of Piozzi254-255
  • Miss Seward's Account of his Loves256
  • Misrepresentation and erroneous Theory of a Critic257-260
  • Last Days and Death of Johnson261-262
  • Lord Macaulay's Summary of Mrs. Piozzi's Treatment of Johnson262-266
  • Life in Italy266-269
  • Projected Work on Johnson269-270
  • The Florence Miscellany271
  • Correspondence with Cadell and Publication of the "Anecdotes"272-274
  • Her alleged Inaccuracy, with Instances 274-285
  • H. Walpole286
  • Peter Pindar287-289
  • H. Walpole again290
  • Hannah More291
  • Marginal Notes on the "Anecdotes"292-297
  • Extracts from Dr. Lort's Letters297-299
  • Her Thoughts on her Return from Italy 299-302
  • Her Reception303-306
  • Miss Seward's Impressions of her and Piozzi307
  • Publication of the "Letters"307-308
  • Opinions on them—Madame D'Arblay, Queen Charlotte,
    Hannah More, and Miss Seward309-314
  • Baretti's libellous Attacks314
  • Her Character of him on his Death315-318
  • "The Sentimental Mother"319
  • "Johnson's Ghost"320
  • The Travel Book321
  • Offer to Cadell322
  • Publication of the Book and Criticisms—Walpole and Miss Seward322-324
  • Mrs. Piozzi's Theory of Style325
  • Attacked by Walpole and Gifford326-327
  • The Preface327-328
  • Extracts329-335
  • Anecdote of Goldsmith 336
  • Publication of her "Synonyms"—Gifford's Attack337
  • Extract338-341
  • Remarks on the Appearance of Boswell's Life of Johnson342
  • "Retrospection"343-344
  • Moore's Anecdotes of her and Piozzi344-345
  • Lord Lansdowne's Visit and Impressions 345-346
  • Adoption and Education of Piozzi's Nephew, afterwards Sir John Salusbury347-350
  • Life in Wales351
  • Character and Habits of Piozzi352-353
  • Brynbella354
  • Illness and Death of Piozzi355-356
  • Miss Thrale's Marriage358
  • The Conway Episode357-361
  • Anecdotes361
  • Celebration of her Eightieth Birthday 361-362
  • Her Death and Will362-364
  • Madame D'Arblay's Parallel between Mrs. Piozzi and Madame de Staël364-369
  • Character of Mrs. Piozzi, Moral and Intellectual369-375

AUTOBIOGRAPHY &c. OF MRS. PIOZZI

VOL. I

INTRODUCTION:

LIFE AND WRITINGS OF MRS. PIOZZI.

Dr. Johnson was hailed the colossus of Literature by a generation who measured him against men of no common mould—against Hume, Robertson, Gibbon, Warburton, the Wartons, Fielding, Richardson, Smollett, Gray, Goldsmith, and Burke. Any one of these may have surpassed the great lexicographer in some branch of learning or domain of genius; but as a man of letters, in the highest sense of the term, he towered pre-eminent, and his superiority to each of them (except Burke) in general acquirements, intellectual power, and force of expression, was hardly contested by his contemporaries. To be associated with his name has become a title of distinction in itself; and some members of his circle enjoy, and have fairly earned, a peculiar advantage in this respect. In their capacity of satellites revolving round the sun of their idolatry, they attracted and reflected his light and heat. As humble companions of their Magnolia grandiflora, they did more than live with it[1]; they gathered and preserved the choicest of its flowers. Thanks to them, his reputation is kept alive more by what has been saved of his conversation than by his books; and his colloquial exploits necessarily revive the memory of the friends (or victims) who elicited and recorded them.

[1] "Je ne suis pas la rose, mais j'ai vécu près d'elle."—Constant.

If the two most conspicuous among these have hitherto gained notoriety rather than what is commonly understood by fame, a discriminating posterity is already beginning to make reparation for the wrong. Boswell's "Letters to Temple," edited by Mr. Francis, with "Boswelliana," printed for the Philobiblion Society by Mr. Milnes, led, in 1857, to a revisal of the harsh sentence passed on one whom the most formidable of his censors, Lord Macaulay, has declared to be not less decidedly the first of biographers, than Homer is the first of heroic poets, Shakspeare the first of dramatists, or Demosthenes the first of orators. The result was favourable to Boswell, although the vulnerable points of his character were still more glaringly displayed. The appeal about to be hazarded on behalf of Mrs. Piozzi, will involve little or no risk of this kind. Her ill-wishers made the most of the event which so injuriously affected her reputation at the time of its occurrence; and the marked tendency of every additional disclosure of the circumstances has been to elevate her. No candid person will read her Autobiography, or her Letters, without arriving at the conclusion that her long life was morally, if not conventionally, irreproachable; and that her talents were sufficient to confer on her writings a value and attraction of their own, apart from what they possess as illustrations of a period or a school. When the papers which form the basis of this work were laid before Lord Macaulay, he gave it as his opinion that they afforded materials for a "most interesting and durably popular volume."[1]