JOHNSON’S “Lives of the Poets” were written to serve as Introductions to
a trade edition of the works of poets whom the booksellers selected for
republication. Sometimes, therefore, they dealt briefly with men in whom
the public at large has long ceased to be interested. Richard Savage
would be of this number if Johnson’s account of his life had not secured
for him lasting remembrance. Johnson’s Life of Savage in this volume has
not less interest than the Lives of Addison and Swift, between which it
is set, although Savage himself has no right at all to be remembered in
such company. Johnson published this piece of biography when his age was
thirty-five; his other lives of poets appeared when that age was about
doubled. He was very poor when the Life of Savage was written for Cave.
Soon after its publication, we are told, Mr. Harte dined with Cave, and
incidentally praised it. Meeting him again soon afterwards Cave said to
Mr. Harte, “You made a man very happy t’other day.” “How could that be?”
asked Harte. “Nobody was there but ourselves.” Cave answered by
reminding him that a plate of victuals was sent behind a screen, which
was to Johnson, dressed so shabbily that he did not choose to appear.
Johnson, struggling, found Savage struggling, and was drawn to him by
faith in the tale he told. We have seen in our own time how even an
Arthur Orton could find sensible and good people to believe the tale with
which he sought to enforce claim upon the Tichborne baronetcy. Savage had
literary skill, and he could personate the manners of a gentleman in days
when there were still gentlemen of fashion who drank, lied, and swaggered
into midnight brawls. I have no doubt whatever that he was the son of the
nurse with whom the Countess of Macclesfield had placed a child that
died, and that after his mother’s death he found the papers upon which he
built his plot to personate the child, extort money from the Countess and
her family, and bring himself into a profitable notoriety.
Johnson’s simple truthfulness and ready sympathy made it hard for him to
doubt the story told as Savage told it to him. But when he told it again
himself, though he denounced one whom he believed to be an unnatural
mother, and dealt gently with his friend, he did not translate evil into
good. Through all the generous and kindly narrative we may see clearly
that Savage was an impostor. There is the heart of Johnson in the noble
appeal against judgment of the self-righteous who have never known the
harder trials of the world, when he says of Savage, “Those are no proper
judges of his conduct, who have slumbered away their time on the down of
plenty; nor will any wise man easily presume to say, ‘Had I been in
Savage’s condition, I should have lived or written better than Savage.’”
But Johnson, who made large allowance for temptations pressing on the
poor, himself suffered and overcame the hardest trials, firm always to
his duty, true servant of God and friend of man.
Richard Savage’s whole public life was built upon a lie. His base nature
foiled any attempt made to befriend him; and the friends he lost, he
slandered; Richard Steele among them. Samuel Johnson was a friend easy to
make, and difficult to lose. There was no money to be got from him, for
he was altogether poor in everything but the large spirit of human
kindness. Savage drew largely on him for sympathy, and had it; although
Johnson was too clear-sighted to be much deceived except in judgment upon
the fraudulent claims which then gave rise to division of opinion. The
Life of Savage is a noble piece of truth, although it rests on faith put
in a fraud.