His friend was the Rev. W. Langley, the master of Ashbourne School.
Strahan received him as an apprentice (_ante_, ii. 334, n. i). See also
Nichols' _Literary Anecdotes_, vol. iii. p. 287.
The 'case' is the frame containing boxes for holding type.
X.
_A letter about suppressions in 'Taxation no Tyranny! dated March 1,
1775_.[In the possession of Mr. Frank T. Sabin, 10 & 12, Garrick Street
Covent Garden.]
'SIR,
'I am sorry to see that all the alterations proposed are evidences of
timidity. You may be sure that I do [? not] wish to publish, what those
for whom I write do not like to have published. But print me half a
dozen copies in the original state, and lay them up for me. It concludes
well enough as it is.
'When you print it, if you print it, please to frank one to me here, and
frank another to Mrs. Aston at Stow Hill, Lichfield.
'The changes are not for the better, except where facts were mistaken.
The last paragraph was indeed rather contemptuous, there was once more
of it which I put out myself.
'I am Sir, Your humble Servant,
'SAM. JOHNSON.'
'March 1, 1775.'
This letter refers to _Taxation no Tyranny_, which was published before
March 31, 1775, the date of Boswell's arrival in London (_ante_, ii.
311). Boswell says that he had in his possession 'a few proof leaves
of it marked with corrections in Johnson's own hand-writing' (ib. p.
313).
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