The Vanity of Human Wishes/Notes

by Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

NOTES

1749 = the first edition, here reprinted
1755 = Dodsley's Collection of Poems, Vol. IV (first published 1755)

Page 5line 12bonny 1749 : wealthy 1755
line 14clang around 1749 : hover round 1755
Page 6line 9the gen'ral 1749 : one gen'ral 1755
Page 8line 1descry 1749 : decry 1755
Page 10 lines 13–14 om. 1755
Page 11 line 9Now drops at once 1749 : At once is lost 1755
Page 12 line 4richest Landlord 1749 : wisest justice 1755
line 5by the Steps 1749 : near the steeps 1755
Page 13 lines 3–4
Resistless burns the Fever of Renown,
Caught from the strong Contagion of the Gown ; 1749
Through all his veins the fever of renown
Spreads from the strong contagion of the gown ; 1755
Page 14 line 2
And Sloth's bland Opiates shed their Fumes in vain ; 1749
And Sloth effuse her opiate fumes in vain ; 1755
line 10Learning 1749 : letters, 1755
line 12Garret 1749 : patron 1755
Page 15 line 1lost 1749 : last 1755
Page 15 line 3'scap'd 1749 : 'scape 1755
Page 17 line 3Force 1749 : fear 1755
line 12is 1749 : be 1755
Page 18 line 1nor Want nor Cold 1749 : not want and cold 1755
Page 22 line 13each Joint 1749 : his joints 1755
Page 26 lines 5–6 om. 1755

Page 27 line 1Here 1749 : Now 1755
line 6Swim 1749 : Roll 1755
Current 1749 : torrent 1755
Page 28 lines 1–2
Yet with the Sense of sacred Presence prest,
When strong Devotion fills thy glowing Breast, 1749
Yet when the sense of sacred presence fires,
And strong devotion to the skies aspires, 1755
line 8Thinks 1749 : Counts 1755