Samuel Johnson's letter

Samuel Johnson's letter to Lord Chesterfield

To The Right Honorable the Earl of Chesterfield

7th February, 1755. My Lord,

I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of The World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your lordship. To be so distinguished is an honor, which, being very little accustomed to favors from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge.

When, upon some slight encouragement, I first visited your lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of your address, and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself Le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre, that I might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your Lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess. I had

done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.

Seven years, my lord, have now passed, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favor. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before.

The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.

Is not a patron my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labors, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it: till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which providence has enabled me to do for myself.

Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favorer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, my Lord,

Your lordship's most humble,

most obedient servant,

SAM. JOHNSON.

致切斯特菲尔德伯爵函

伯爵大人：

新近从《世界报》业主处获悉，有两篇文章是大人阁下所写，此两文把我的辞典介绍给了公众。如此出众，实是一种荣耀。因为对来自大人物的恩惠很不习惯，我真不知道如何承受这种荣耀，或以何种方式来感激。

当初，受到些许的鼓励，我首次去拜访大人时，像其他人一样，我被您谈吐的魅力所倾倒，不禁希望我可以吹嘘我自己是“世界征服者的征服者”。我的自尊与羞怯都不让我继续这种拜访。当我曾在公众面前对您致意时，我是尽我一个与事无争、不善阿谀奉承的学者所能具有的所有方式让

人愉快。我已经做了我所能做到的一切，而他的一切努力被忽视了。哪怕是一点点的忽视，也是没有人会感到高兴的。

伯爵大人，自从我在您的外厅等候，或者说，被拒之于您的门外，已过去7年了。这7年中我含辛茹苦地进行着我的工作。现在去抱怨这些已无用了。最终，我的辞典出版在即，没有一个援助之举动，没有一句鼓励之话语，没有一丝赞许之微笑。这样的待遇我未曾盼望过，因为我以前从未有过保护人。

维吉尔笔下的牧童终认识了爱神，发现他不过是个荒山野岭中的野蛮人。

伯爵大人，这样的人不应算是一个保护者吧？他看着一个人在水中争扎求生而无动于衷，可是，当那人上岸后却以援助碍事，承蒙您关注到我的劳作。如果这种关注来得早一点，那会是善意的；但它耽延了，直到我已淡漠无兴，不能消受了，直到我孤独一身，不能分享了，直到我功成名就，不需要它了。我没有接受恩惠，就不承情。上苍使我独自完成事业，我不愿公众认为我应感激一个保护人，我希望这不是客薄寡情吧！

既已在无保护人之援的情况下把我的工作进行到这一步，我不会感到失望的，虽然我要最后完成我的工作，如果

无任何可能的援助，那就在无援的情况下去完结它吧，因为我早已从那种希望之梦中清醒。伯爵大人，我曾极其兴奋地自夸我自己是

您最恭谦最忠顺的仆人，

萨姆·约翰逊

1755年2月7日

尊敬的伯爵阁下，

最近，我从《世界日报》的业主处得知，该报上两篇推荐我所著字典的文章出自您之手。能够得到您的赞扬，这真是一种荣耀，但是由于我还不适应得到伟大人物的垂青，所以我不知该如何妥善接受，或用何等言语表达我的感激之情。

昔日，我曾受鼓动去拜访您，像其他人一样，我也被您言辞的魅力所打动，以至我情不自禁的希望自己能自夸是世界征服者的征服者，得到全世界都为之羡慕的重视。但是，我发现我的拜见并不受到欢迎，无论是出于自尊，还是出于谦逊，都使我无法再继续拜访您了。我曾当众向您致意过一次，这已经耗尽了我这个无名且无礼的学者所拥有的全部讨好的

本事了。我已经做了我能做的一切了，没有人会愿意见到自己的努力被忽视，哪怕这种努力是如此微不足道。

尊敬的伯爵，自从我在您的接待室中苦苦等待、并被您拒之门外以后，七年已经过去了。在这段时间中，我克服种种困难，一直在推进我的工作。现在，再抱怨那些困难是没有用的，好在我的作品终于要出版了。在这七年中，您没有给过我一次支持，一句鼓励，甚至一个赞许的微笑。我并不期待这种待遇，因为以前我从没有过赞助人（Patron）。

在维吉尔的作品中，牧羊人最终找到了爱神，却发现他完全是铁石心肠。

尊敬的伯爵，难道赞助人是这样一种人吗，当有人溺水挣扎，他无动于衷，而等落水者上岸以后，他反倒给予援助？要是您以前曾关心过我的工作，那它将让我感到温暖；可是它姗姗来迟，直到现在我终于无所谓了，对它不再有丝毫欣赏；我已经习惯孤独，（我的妻子三年前去世了），我已经无法与人共享它了；而且现在我的工作已为人所知，也不再需要它了。既然没有任何受益，我想否认得到过您的恩惠，不使公众误解您是我的赞助人，也不会太过偏激吧。上帝会同意我这样做的。

迄今为止，我的工作所得到的学界领袖的帮助接近于无，我对此并不失望，即使帮助变得更少（如果发生这种情况的话），我也能完成我的工作。尊敬的伯爵，我早就不做美梦了，在那些梦里，我曾一度洋洋得意的自诩为

您最谦卑和服从的仆人，塞缪尔.约翰逊