hardly any man has made his way to a high station. He could not expect
to produce many such works as his London, and he felt the hardships of
writing for bread; he was, therefore, willing to resume the office of a
schoolmaster, so as to have a sure, though moderate income for his life;
and an offer being made to him of the mastership of a school, provided
he could obtain the degree of Master of Arts, Dr. Adams was applied
to, by a common friend, to know whether that could be granted him as
a favour from the University of Oxford. But though he had made such a
figure in the literary world, it was then thought too great a favour to
be asked.

Pope, without any knowledge of him but from his London, recommended him
to Earl Gower, who endeavoured to procure for him a degree from Dublin.

It was, perhaps, no small disappointment to Johnson that this
respectable application had not the desired effect; yet how much reason
has there been, both for himself and his country, to rejoice that it did
not succeed, as he might probably have wasted in obscurity those hours
in which he afterwards produced his incomparable works.

About this time he made one other effort to emancipate himself from
the drudgery of authourship. He applied to Dr. Adams, to consult
Dr. Smalbroke of the Commons, whether a person might be permitted to
practice as an advocate there, without a doctor's degree in Civil Law.
'I am (said he) a total stranger to these studies; but whatever is a
profession, and maintains numbers, must be within the reach of common
abilities, and some degree of industry.' Dr. Adams was much pleased with
Johnson's design to employ his talents in that manner, being confident
he would have attained to great eminence.