Hawkins, apparently ignorant that she had
written to Johnson, to announce her intention, says, "He was made
uneasy by a report" which induced him to write a strong letter of
remonstrance, of which what he calls an _adumbration_ was published
in the "Gentleman's Magazine" for December 1784. Mr. Croker, avoiding
a similar error, says:--"In the lady's own (part) publication of the
correspondence, this letter (No. 1) is given as from Mrs. Piozzi, and
is signed with the initial of her name: Dr. Johnson's answer is also
addressed to Mrs. Piozzi, and both the letters allude to the matter
as _done_; yet it appears by the periodical publications of the day,
that the marriage did not take place until the 25th July. The editor
knew not how to account for this but by supposing that Mrs. Piozzi,
to avoid Johnson's importunity, had stated that as done which was
only _settled to be done_."
The matter of fact is made plain by the circular (No. 2) which states
that "Piozzi is coming back from Italy." He arrived on July 1st,
after a fourteen months' absence, which proved both his loyalty and
the sincerity of the struggle in her own heart and mind. Her letter
(No. 1) as printed, is not signed with the initial of her name; and
both Dr. Johnson's autograph letters are addressed to _Mrs. Thrale_.
But she has occasioned the mistake into which so many have fallen, by
her mode of heading these when she printed the two-volume edition of
"Letters" in 1788. By the kindness of Mr.
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