assignment, however, what is perhaps even more interesting than these
discrepancies is the fact that one of the witnesses was William Young.
Thus we have Parson Adams acting as witness to the sale of the very book
which he had helped to immortalise.




CHAPTER IV.

THE MISCELLANIES--JONATHAN WILD.


In March 1742, according to an article in the _Gentleman's Magazine_,
attributed to Samuel Johnson, "the most popular Topic of Conversation"
was the _Account of the Conduct of the Dowager Dutchess of Marlborough,
from her first coming to Court, to the Year 1710_, which, with the help
of Hooke of the _Roman History_, the "terrible old Sarah" had just put
forth. Among the little cloud of _Sarah-Ads_ and _Old Wives' Tales_
evoked by this production, was a _Vindication_ of her Grace by Fielding,
specially prompted, as appears from the title-page, by the "late
_scurrilous_ Pamphlet" of a "noble Author." If this were not
acknowledged to be from Fielding's pen in the Preface to the
_Miscellanies_ (in which collection, however, it is not reprinted), its
authorship would be sufficiently proved by its being included with _Miss
Lucy in Town_ in the assignment to Andrew Millar referred to at the
close of the preceding chapter. The price Millar paid for it was L5 5s,
or exactly half that of the farce. But it is only reasonable to assume
that the Duchess herself (who is said to have given Hooke L5000 for his
help) also rewarded her champion. Whether Fielding's admiration for the