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person placed a new pair at his door； but he spurned them away in a fury。
Distress made him； not servile； but reckless and ungovernable。 No opulent
gentleman commoner； panting for one…and…twenty； could have treated the
academical authorities with more gross disrespect。 The needy scholar was
generally to be seen under the gate of Pembroke； a gate now adorned with
his effigy； haranguing a circle of lads； over whom； in spite of his tattered
gown and dirty linen； his wit and audacity gave him an undisputed
ascendency。 In every mutiny against the discipline of the college he was
the ringleader。 Much was pardoned； however； to a youth so highly
distinguished by abilities and acquirements。 He had early made himself
known by turning Pope's Messiah into Latin verse。 The style and rhythm；
indeed； were not exactly Virgilian； but the translation found many
admirers； and was read with pleasure by Pope himself。
The time drew near at which Johnson would； in the ordinary course of
things； have become a Bachelor of Arts： but he was at the end of his
resources。 Those promises of support on which he had relied had not been
kept。 His family could do nothing for him。 His debts to Oxford tradesmen
were small indeed； yet larger than he could pay。 In the autumn of 1731； he
was under the necessity of quitting the university without a degree。 In the
following winter his father died。 The old man left but a pittance； and of
that pittance almost the whole was appropriated to the support of his
widow。 The property to which Samuel succeeded amounted to no more
than twenty pounds。
His life； during the thirty years which followed； was one hard struggle
with poverty。 The misery of that struggle needed no aggravation； but was
aggravated by the sufferings of an unsound body and an unsound mind。
Before the young man left the university； his hereditary malady had
broken forth in a singularly cruel form。 He had become an incurable
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
hypochondriac。 He said long after that he had been mad all his life； or at
least not perfectly sane； and； in truth； eccentricities less strange than his
have often been thought grounds sufficient for absolving felons； and for
setting aside wills。 His grimaces； his gestures； his mutterings； sometimes
diverted and sometimes terrified people who did not know him。 At a
dinner table he would； in a fit of absence； stoop down and twitch off a
lady's shoe。 He would amaze a drawing…room by suddenly ejaculating a
clause of the Lord's Prayer。 He would conceive an unintelligible aversion
to a particular alley； and perform a great circuit rather than see the hateful
place。 He would set his heart on touching every post in the streets through
which he walked。 If by any chance he missed a post； he would go back a
hundred yards and repair the omission。 Under the influence of his disease；
his senses became morbidly torpid； and his imagination morbidly active。
At one time he would stand poring on the town clock without being able to
tell the hour。 At another； he would distinctly hear his mother； who was
many miles off； calling him by his name。 But this was not the worst。 A
deep melancholy took possession of him； and gave a dark tinge to all his
views of human nature and of human destiny。 Such wretchedness as he
endured has driven many men to shoot themselves or drown themselves。
But he was under no temptation to commit suicide。 He was sick of life； but
he was afraid of death； and he shuddered at every sight or sound which
reminded him of the inevitable hour。 In religion he found but little comfort
during his long and frequent fits of dejection； for his religion partook of
his own character。 The light from heaven shone on him indeed； but not in a
direct line； or with its own pure splendour。 The rays had to struggle
through a disturbing medium； they reached him refracted； dulled and
discoloured by the thick gloom which had settled on his soul； and； though
they might be sufficiently clear to guide him； were too dim to cheer him。
With such infirmities of body and mind； this celebrated man was left；
at two…and…twenty； to fight his way through the world。 He remained during
about five years in the midland counties。 At Lichfield； his birthplace and
his early home； he had inherited some friends and acquired others。 He was
kindly noticed by Henry Hervey； a gay officer of noble family； who
happened to be quartered there。 Gilbert Walmesley； registrar of the
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
ecclesiastical court of the diocese； a man of distinguished parts； learning；
and knowledge of the world； did himself honour by patronising the young
adventurer； whose repulsive person； unpolished manners； and squalid garb
moved many of the petty aristocracy of the neighbourhood to laughter or
to disgust。 At Lichfield； however； Johnson could find no way of earning a
livelihood。 He became usher of a grammar school in Leicestershire； he
resided as a humble companion in the house of a country gentleman； but a
life of dependence was insupportable to his haughty spirit。 He repaired to
Birmingham； and there earned a few guineas by literary drudgery。 In that
town he printed a translation； little noticed at the time； and long forgotten；
of a Latin book about Abyssinia。 He then put forth proposals for
publishing by subscription the poems of Politian； with notes containing a
history of modern Latin verse： but subscriptions did not come in； and the
volume never appeared。
While leading this vagrant and miserable life； Johnson fell in love。 The
object of his passion was Mrs Elizabeth Porter； a widow who had children
as old as himself。 To ordinary spectators； the lady appeared to be a short；
fat； coarse woman； painted half an inch thick； dressed in gaudy colours；
and fond of exhibiting provincial airs and graces which were not exactly
those of the Queensberrys and Lepels。 To Johnson； however； whose
passions were strong； whose eyesight was too weak to distinguish ceruse
from natural bloom； and who had seldom or never been in the same room
with a woman of real fashion； his Titty； as he called her； was the most
beautiful