_A letter about 'copy' and a book by Professor Watson, dated Oct. 14,
1776'_.[In the possession of Mr. H. Fawcett, of 14, King Street, Covent
Garden.]
'SIR,
'I wrote to you about ten days ago, and sent you some copy. You have
not written again, that is a sorry trick.
'I am told that you are printing a Book for Mr. Professor Watson of
Saint Andrews, if upon any occasion, I can give any help, or be of any
use, as formerly in Dr. Robertson's publication, I hope you will make
no scruple to call upon me, for I shall be glad of an opportunity to
show that my reception at Saint Andrews has not been forgotten.
'I am Sir, Your humble Servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'Oct. 14, 1776.'
The' copy' or MS. that Johnson sent is, I conjecture, _Proposals for
the Rev. Mr. Shaw's Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language_ (_ante_,
iii. 107). This is the only acknowledged piece of writing of his during
1776. The book printing for Professor Watson was _History of the Reign
of Philip II_, which was published by Strahan and Cadell in 1777. This
letter is of unusual interest, as showing that Johnson had been of some
service as regards one of Robertson's books. It is possible that he
read some of the proof-sheets, and helped to get rid of the Scotticisms.
'Strahan,' according to Beattie, 'had corrected (as he told me himself)
the phraseology of both Mr. Hume and Dr. Robertson' (_ante_, v. 92,
n. 3). He is not unlikely, in Robertson's case, to have sought and
obtained Johnson's help.