Dr. Johnson - Mercury's inspiration
150 years ago today the Union captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Of course, no one in Richmond knew this as they perused their newspapers. However, readers of the February 6, 1862 edition of the Richmond Daily Dispatch would have been able to find out that the Charleston Mercury was still spewing and/or eating fire:
The Romans and the Yankees.
Dr. Johnson observed, of the ancient Romans, that, “When poor, they robbed others, and when rich, themselves.” What was true of the Romans, is about to be realized of our Yankee neighbors. When poor, they robbed us. From being the most sterile and in hospitable portion of the United States, they became the wealthiest and most prosperous. But there is this difference between the Yankee and the Roman: The Roman was no hypocrite. With his sword in hand, he said, “sic volo, sic jubco [jubeo?].” He was a brave, frank robber; but our Yankee brethren began their robbery with lies — they continued it with lies, and they have ended it with lies.–Charleston Mercury.
It looks like Samuel Johnson, also referred to as Dr. Johnson, really did write something very similar.
