He meditated, at the same
time, a Latin inscription to the memory of Garrick; but his vigour was
exhausted.
His love of literature was a passion that stuck to his last sand. Seven
days before his death he wrote the following letter to his friend Mr.
Nichols:
"SIR,--The late learned Mr. Swinton, of Oxford, having one day
remarked, that one man, meaning, I suppose, no man but himself, could
assign all the parts of the Ancient Universal History to their proper
authors, at the request of sir Robert Chambers, or myself, gave the
account which I now transmit to you, in his own hand, being willing
that of so great a work the history should be known, and that each
writer should receive his due proportion of praise from posterity.
I recommend to you to preserve this scrap of literary intelligence, in
Mr. Swinton's own hand, or to deposit it in the Museum[y], that the
veracity of this account may never be doubted.
I am, sir,
Your most humble servant,
SAM. JOHNSON.
Dec. 6, 1784."
Mr. Swinton.
The History of the Carthaginians.
--Numidians.
--Mauritanians.
--Gaetulians.
--Garamantes.
--Melano-Gaetulians.
--Nigritae.
--Cyrenaica.
--Marmarica.
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