to die with hope, and to pass by death to eternal happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
165.
[September 18.]
Andover.
Whitchurch.
Overton.
Basingstoke.
Harford Bridge [Hartford Bridge].
Bagshot.
[Two entries illegible, ? Staines and Hounslow.]
Brentford[1].
166.
1784.
In Messrs. Sotheby & Co's Auction Catalogue of May 10, 1875, Lot 119 is 'a beautiful and most pious prayer in the autograph of Dr. Johnson, dated January 1, p.m. 11 1784.' It was sold for eight guineas.
167.
EASTER DAY, Apr. 11, 1784.
Almighty God, my Creator and my Judge, who givest life and takest it away, enable me to return sincere and humble thanks for my late deliverance from imminent death[2]. So govern my future life by the Holy Spirit, that every day which thou shalt permit to pass over me, may be spent in thy service, and leave me less tainted with wickedness, and more submissive to thy will.
- ↑ From the original in the possession of Mr. Locker-Lampson of Rowfant.
This is a record of some of the places on the road from Salisbury to London. Johnson reached home on Sept. 18 at noon. Life, iv. 239. He had taken about fifteen hours to go from London to Salisbury, a distance of eighty-two miles. Ib. p. 234. As Andover is sixty-four miles from London, unless he broke his journey in returning he must have travelled most of the night. At Hounslow the coach had halted for breakfast on the outward journey. Letters, ii. 328, n. 3.
- ↑ Ten days later he wrote to Mrs. Thrale: – 'After a confinement of one hundred and twenty-nine days, more than the third part of a year, and no inconsiderable part of human life, I this day returned thanks to God in St. Clement's Church for my recovery.' Letters, ii. 392. See also Life, iv. 262-4, 271.
