Dr Johnson's "ramble about France" lasted from September 17 to November 11 1775. Given his and his country's endemic prejudice against most things French, it was not surprising that while there, he chose to speak his good Latin, rather than his poor French.
He found the Versailles menagerie more impressive than the palace itself, described French cuisine as "gross", and was clearly worried by the gap between the extremities of political (and spiritual) gorgeousness and the meanness of the environment for the ordinary Parisian.
In general, however, he was not prepared to pontificate about a subject known infinitely better to many others, and the whole of his short story may be followed in the surviving letters in volume 2 of Bruce Redford's "Hyde" edition of the Letters (5 vols, 1992-1994).
This was Professor Wallace Kirsop's topic for the Society's Annual David Fleeman Memorial Lecture. The details of his scholarly, graceful and suggestive address cannot be summarised here, but the Lecture will of course be published, to accompany (and at the same standard as) the first Annual Lecture, of which there are still a few copies left (obtainable from our Editor, David Hart).
At the AGM, all current office bearers were re-elected namine contradicente, and the undoubtable highlight of the day's proceedings was John Byrnes' presentation of five Johnsonian keepsakes. These had been sent by our Patron, Lady Eccles, as a special gift to the JSA. An account of them will be found later in the newsletter.
The Committee gave a sufficiently convincing account of its work during the year to earn re-election and the President outlined some of its plans for 1996.
We have now sold sufficient copies of the 1994 David Fleeman Memorial Lecture to cover costs of production, and all future sales will be accounted as profit for the JSA.
Meantime, Editor, David Hart, advises there are still copies of both the Limited ($50.00) and the Standard ($20.00) editions for sale, but you will need to get your orders in soon. The remaining copies of the Lecture will also be offered to local and overseas booksellers for resale at a margin for the Society.
If you want to buy one or more copies of the 1994 Annual Lecture, write to Professor Kevin Hart, Department of English, Monash University, Victoria, 3168, Australia, enclosing a cheque payable to the Johnson Society of Australia.
As you will see from the Minutes of the 1995 Annual General Meeting, future published copies of the Lecture will be available in a limited edition only, with a print run of between 50-75 copies.
Our member from Wagga Wagga, Father Peter Joseph, has drawn our attention to a volume of Johnsonian quotations entitled The Quotable Johnson: A topical Compilation of his Wit and Moral Wisdom, compiled by Stephen Dankert and published by Ignatius Press, San Francisco.
In his preface to the work, Joseph Sobran describes it as "a treasure trove of wisdom and inspiration from Johnson's writings which offer a vision of suffering overcome and of a life lived manfully, thankfully and generously.
"His quotes cover every topic from Asceticism to Ambition, Failure to Forgiveness, Hypocrisy to Holiness, Vanity to Virtue and much more. No one can read Johnson without coming away nobler, kinder and more generous.
"This book explains fully why Johnson was so highly regarded even before Boswell made his entrance. In every age there are those who are impatient with the follies and constraints of the age, and these, now as then, are Johnson's readership. Johnson offers truth and pmernanence. The Age of Johnson is always." Joseph Sobran writes.
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