manners, it may, at least, be supposed to have gained strength from the
example before him. During that connexion, there was, if we believe sir
John Hawkins, a short separation between our author and his wife; but a
reconciliation soon took place. Johnson loved her, and showed his
affection in various modes of gallantry, which Garrick used to render
ridiculous by his mimicry. The affectation of soft and fashionable airs
did not become an unwieldy figure: his admiration was received by the
wife with the flutter of an antiquated coquette; and both, it is well
known, furnished matter for the lively genius of Garrick.

It is a mortifying reflection, that Johnson, with a store of learning
and extraordinary talents, was not able, at the age of thirty, to force
his way to the favour of the public:

"Slow rises worth by poverty depress'd."

"He was still," as he says himself, "to provide for the day that was
passing over him." He saw Cave involved in a state of warfare with the
numerous competitors, at that time, struggling with the Gentleman's
Magazine; and gratitude for such supplies as Johnson received, dictated
a Latin ode on the subject of that contention. The first lines,

"Urbane, nullis fesse laboribus,
Urbane, nullis victe calumniis,"

put one in mind of Casimir's ode to Pope Urban:

"Urbane, regum maxime, maxime
Urbane vatum."--