1763.

for many years, maintained an uniform decency of character; and Johnfon
esteemed them, and lived in as eafy an intimacy with them as with any family Etat. 54.
which he used to vifit. Mr. Davies recollected feveral of Johnson's remark-
able sayings, and was one of the best of the many imitators of his voice and
manner, while relating them. He increased my impatience more and more to
see the extraordinary man whofe works I highly valued, and whofe conver-
fation was reported to be fo peculiarly excellent.

At last, on Monday the 16th of May, when I was fitting in Mr. Davies's
back parlour, after having drunk tea with him and Mrs. Davies, Johnson
unexpectedly came into the fhop; and Mr. Davies having perceived him
through the glass door of the room in which we were fitting, advancing towards
us,—he announced his aweful approach to me, fomewhat in the manner of an
actor in the part of Horatio, when he addreffes Hamlet on the appearance of
his father's ghoft, "Look, my Lord, it comes."
I found that I had a very
perfect idea of Johnson's figure, from the portrait of him painted by Sir Joshua
Reynolds foon after he had published his Dictionary, in the attitude of fitting
in his eafy chair in deep meditation, which was the first picture his friend did
for him, which Sir Joshua has very kindly prefented to me, and from
which an engraving has been made for this work. Mr. Davies mentioned my
name, and respectfully introduced me to him. I was much agitated; and
recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch, of which I had heard much, I
faid to Davies, "Don't tell where I come from."-" From Scotland," cried
Davies, roguishly. "Mr. Johnson (faid I) I do indeed come from Scotland,
but I cannot help it." I am willing to flatter myself that I meant this as light
pleasantry to footh and conciliate him, and not as any humiliating abafement at
the expence of my country. But however that might be, this fpeech was
fomewhat unlucky; for with that quickness of wit for which he was fo remark-
able, he feized the expreffion "come from Scotland," which I ufed in the
fense of being of that country; and as if I had faid that I had come away from
it or left it, retorted, "That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of
your countrymen cannot help." This ftroke ftunned me a good deal; and
when we had fat down, I felt myself not a little embarraffed, and apprehensive
of what might come next. He then addreffed himfelf to Davies: "What
do you think of Garrick? He has refused me an order for the play for Mifs
Williams, because he knows the houfe will be full, and that an order would
be worth three fhillings." Eager to take any opening to get into converfation
with him, I ventured to fay, "O, Sir, I cannot think Mr. Garrick would
grudge fuch a trifle to you." "Sir, (faid he, with a ftern look,) I have known

1763.

Atat. 54.

David Garrick longer than you have done; and I know no right you have to talk to me on the subject." Perhaps I deserved this check; for it was rather prefumptuous in me, an entire stranger, to express any doubt of the justice of his animadverfion upon his old acquaintance and pupil. I now felt myself much mortified, and began to think that the hope which I had long indulged of obtaining his acquaintance was blafted. And, in truth, had not my ardour been uncommonly strong, and my refolution uncommonly persevering, fo rough a reception might have deterred me for ever from making any further attempts. Fortunately, however, I remained upon the field not wholly discomfited; and was foon rewarded by hearing fome of his conversation, of which I preferved the following fhort minute, without marking the questions and obfervations by which it was produced.

"People (he remarked) may be taken in once, who imagine that an authour is greater in private life than other men. Uncommon parts require uncommon opportunities for their exertion.

But in more

"In barbarous fociety, fuperiority of parts is of real confequence. Great ftrength or great wifdom is of much value to an individual. polished times there are people to do every thing for money; and then there are a number of other fuperiorities, such as those of birth and fortune, and rank, that diffipate men's attention, and leave no extraordinary share of respect for perfonal and intellectual fuperiority. This is wifely ordered by Providence, to preserve some equality among mankind."

Sir, this book (The Elements of Criticifm,' which he had taken up,) is a pretty effay, and deserves to be held in some estimation, though much of it is chimerical."

Speaking of one who with more than ordinary boldnefs attacked publick measures and the royal family, he said, "I think he is fafe from the law, but he is an abufive fcoundrel; and inftead of applying to my Lord Chief Justice to punish him, I would fend half a dozen footmen and have him well ducked.”" "The notion of liberty amufes the people of England, and helps to keep off the tædium vite. When a butcher tells you that his heart bleeds for his country, he has, in fact, no uneafy feeling."

That this was a momentary fally against Garrick there can be no doubt; for at Johnson's defire he had, fome years before, given a benefit-night at his theatre to this very perfon, by which fhe got two hundred pounds. Johnson, indeed, upon all other occafions, when I was in his company, praised the very liberal charity of Garrick. I once mentioned to him, "It is obferved, Sir, that you attack Garrick yourself, but will fuffer nobody elfe to do it." JOHNSON, (fmiling). Why, Sir, that is true."

་་

"Sheridan

"Sheridan will not fucceed at Bath with his oratory. Ridicule has gone 1763. down before him, and, I doubt, Derrick is his enemy'. Etat. 54

"Derrick may do very well, as long as he can outrun his character; but the moment his character gets up with him it is all over."

It is, however, but just to record, that fome years afterwards, when I reminded him of this farcafm, he faid, "Well, but Derrick has now got a character that he need not run away from."

I was highly pleased with the extraordinary vigour of his conversation, and regretted that I was drawn away from it by an engagement at another place. I had, for a part of the evening, been left alone with him, and had ventured to make an observation now and then, which he received very civilly; fo that I was satisfied that though there was a roughness in his manner, there was no ill-nature in his difpofition. Davies followed me to the door, and when I complained to him a little of the hard blows which the great man had given me, he kindly took upon him to confole me by faying, "Don't be uneafy. I can see he likes you very well.”

A few days afterwards I called on Davies, and asked him if he thought I might take the liberty of waiting on Mr. Johnfon at his Chambers in the Temple. He faid I certainly might, and that Mr. Johnson would take it as a compliment. So upon Tuesday the 24th, after having been enlivened by the witty fallies of Meffieurs Thornton, Wilkes, Churchill and Lloyd, with whom I had paffed the morning, I boldly repaired to Johnson. His Chambers were on the first floor of No. 1, Inner Temple-lane, and I entered them with an impreffion given me by the Reverend Dr. Blair, of Edinburgh, who had been introduced to him not long before, and described his having "found the giant in his den;" an expreffion, which, when I came to be pretty well acquainted with Johnson, I repeated to him, and he was diverted at this picturesque account of himself. Dr. Blair had been presented to him by Dr. James Fordyce. At this time the controversy concerning the pieces published ▾ by Mr. James Macpherson, as translations of Offian, was at its height. Johnson had all along denied their authenticity; and, what was ftill more provoking to their admirers, maintained that they had no merit. The fubject having been introduced by Dr. Fordyce, Dr. Blair, relying on the internal evidence of their antiquity, afked Dr. Johnson whether he thought any man of a modern age could have written fuch poems? Johnson replied, "Yes, Sir, many

'Mr. Sheridan was then reading lectures upon Oratory at Bath, where Derrick was Master of the Ceremonies, or, as the phrafe is, KING.

men,

1763.

་ཡ

Etat. 54.

men, many women, and many children." Johnson, at this time, did not know that Dr. Blair had just published a Differtation, not only defending their authenticity, but seriously ranking them with the poems of Homer and Virgil; and when he was afterwards informed of this circumftance, he expreffed fome displeasure at Dr. Fordyce's having fuggefted the topick, and faid, "I am not forry that they got thus much for their pains. Sir, it was like leading one to talk of a book, when the authour is concealed behind the door.”

He received me very courteously; but, it must be confeffed, that his apartment, and furniture, and morning drefs, were fufficiently uncouth. His brown fuit of cloaths looked very rufty; he had on a little old fhrivelled unpowdered wig, which was too fmall for his head; his fhirt-neck and knees of his breeches were loofe; his black worsted stockings ill drawn up; and he had a pair of unbuckled fhoes by way of flippers. But all these flovenly particularities were forgotten the moment that he began to talk. Some gentlemen, whom I do not recollect, were fitting with him; and when they went away, I alfo rofe; but he faid to me, "Nay, don't go."-" Sir, (faid I) I am afraid that I intrude upon you. It is benevolent to allow me to fit and hear you.” He feemed pleased with this compliment, which I fincerely paid him, and anfwered, "Sir, I am obliged to any man who visits me." I have preserved the following short minute of what passed this day.

"Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unneceffary deviation from the ufual modes of the world. My poor friend Smart shewed the disturbance of his mind by falling upon his knees and faying his prayers in the street, or in any other unusual place. Now although, rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than to pray as Smart did, I am afraid there are fo many who do not pray, that their understanding is not called in question."

Concerning this unfortunate poet, Chriftopher Smart, who was confined in a mad-house, he had, at another time, the following converfation with Dr. Burney. JOHNSON. "It feems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the difeafe; for he grows fat upon it." it." BURNEY. "Perhaps, Sir, that may be from want of exercise." JOHNSON. "No, Sir; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have, for he digs in the garden. Indeed, before his confinement, he ufed for exercise to walk to the alehoufe; but he was carried back again. I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxious to fociety. He infifted on people praying with him; and I'd as lief pray with Kit. Smart as any one elfe. Another charge was, that he did not love clean linen; and I have no paffion for it."

1763.

Mankind have a great averfion to intellectual labour; but even fuppofing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be Etat. 54ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it."

"The morality of an action depends on the motive from which we act. If I fling half a crown to a beggar with intention to break his head, and he picks it up and buys victuals with it, the physical effect is good; but, with respect to me, the action is very wrong. So, religious exercises, if not performed with an intention to please GOD, avail us nothing. As our Saviour fays of those who perform them from other motives, Verily they have their reward.'

"The Chriftian Religion has very ftrong evidences. It, indeed, appears in fome degree strange to reafon; but in Hiftory we have undoubted facts, against which, in reasoning à priori, we have more arguments than we have for them; but then, teftimony has great weight, and cafts the balance. I would recommend to every man whose faith is yet unfettled, Grotius,—Dr. Pearson, and Dr. Clark."

Talking of Garrick, he faid, "He is the first man in the world for fprightly converfation."

When I rose a second time he again preffed me to ftay, which I did.

He told me, that he generally went abroad at four in the afternoon, and feldom came home till two in the morning. I took the liberty to ask if he did not think it wrong to live thus, and not make more ufe of his great talents. He owned it was a bad habit. On reviewing, at the distance of many years, my journal of this period, I wonder how, at my firft vifit, I ventured to talk to him fo freely, and that he bore it with so much indulgence.

Before we parted he was fo good as to promise to favour me with his company one evening at my lodgings; and, as I took my leave, fhook me cordially by the hand. It is almoft needless to add, that I felt no little elation at having now so happily established an acquaintance of which I had been fo long

ambitious.

My readers will, I trust, excuse me for being thus minutely circumstantial, when it is confidered that the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson was to me a most valuable acquifition, and laid the foundation of whatever inftruction and entertainment they may receive from my collections concerning the great fubject of the work which they are now perufing.

I did not visit him again till Monday, June 13, at which time I recollect no part of his converfation, except that when I told him I had been to fee Johnson ride upon three horfes, he faid, "Such a man, Sir, fhould be encouraged; for his performances fhew the extent of the human powers in

one

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