Good wishes from Samuel Johnson
Dear Sir, —This is the time of the year in which all express their good wishes to their friends, and I send mine to you and your family. May your lives be long, happy, and good. I have been much out of order, but, I hope, do not grow worse.
All our friends are as they were; little has happened to them of either good or bad. Mrs. Thrale ran a great black hair-dressing pin into her eye; but by great evacuation she kept it from inflaming, and it is almost well. Miss Reynolds has been out of order, but is better. Mrs. Williams is in a very poor state of health.
If I should write on, I should, perhaps, write only complaints, and therefore I will content myself with telling you that I love to think on you, and to hear from you; and that I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
SAM. JOHNSON. December 27, 1777.
Despite his complaints, Johnson lived another seven years; and when he wrote this letter was still producing Lives of the Poets, one of his major enduring works, which was published between 1779-1781.
As Johnson said, the time of the year in which all express their good wishes to their friends, and I send mine to you and your family. May your lives be long, happy, and good.
Happy Christmas, thanks for reading, and have a happy, healthy, prosperous 2021.