458. "Tom Jones."

66

Joseph Andrews."

I never saw Johnson really angry with me but once, and his displeasure did him so much honour, that I loved him the better for it. I alluded, rather flippantly, I fear, to some witty passage in "Tom Jones:" he replied, "I am shocked to hear you quote from so vicious a book. I am sorry to hear you have read it: a confession which no modest lady should ever make. I scarcely know a more corrupt work." I thanked him for his correction; assured him that I thought full as ill of it now, as he did, and had only read it at an age when I was more subject to be caught by the wit, than able to discern the mischief. Of "Joseph Andrews" I declared my decided abhorrence. He went so far as to refuse to Fielding the great talents which are ascribed to him; and broke out into a noble panegyric on his competitor, Richardson; who, he said, was as superior to him in talents as in virtue; and whom he pronounced to be the greatest genius that had shed its lustre on this path of literature.

459. "Too many Irons in the Fire."

Mrs. Brooke (') having repeatedly desired Johnson to look over her new play of "The Siege of Sinope before it was acted, he always found means to evade it ; at last she pressed him so closely that he actually refused to do it, and told her that she herself, by carefully looking it over, would be able to see if there was any thing amiss as well as he could. "But, Sir," said she, "I have no time, I have already so many irons in the fire." 66 Why then, Madam," said he, quite out of

(1) [The author of "Julia Mandeville," and "Emily Montagu," and also of the favourite comic opera of "Rosina." The "Siege of Sinope" was brought out at Covent Garden in 1781, but was only performed ten nights.]

patience," the best thing I can advise you to do is, to put your tragedy along with your irons."

460. Lord Lyttelton.— Mrs. Montagu.—Mr. Pepys. Think of Johnson's having apartments in Grosvenor Square. But he says it is not half so convenient as Bolt Court! He has just finished the Poets: Pope is the last. I am sorry he has lost so much credit by Lord Lyttelton's: he treats him almost with contempt; makes him out a poor writer, and an envious man; speaks well only of his "Conversion of St. Paul," of which he says, "it is sufficient to say it has never been answered." Mrs. Montagu and Mr. Pepys, his lordship's two chief surviving friends, are very angry.(1)

461. Garrick.

On Wednesday, Johnson came to see us, and made us a long visit. On Mrs. Garrick's telling him, she was always more at her ease with persons who had suffered the same loss with herself, he said that was a comfort she could seldom have, considering the superiority of her husband's merit, and the cordiality of their union. He bore his strong testimony to the liberality of Garrick. (1781.)

462. "Pensées de Pascal."

I

He reproved me with pretended sharpness for reading "Les Pensées de Pascal," or any of the Port Royal authors; alleging that, as a good Protestant, I ought to abstain from books written by Catholics. was beginning to stand upon my defence, when he took me with both hands, and with a tear running down his cheeks," Child," said he, with the most affecting earnestness, "I am heartily glad that you read pious books, by whomsoever they may be written."

(1) [See antè, Vol. VIII. p. 46.]

463. Milton.

On Monday, Johnson was in full song, and I quarrelled with him sadly. I accused him of not having done justice to the "Allegro" and "Penseroso." He spoke disparagingly of both. I praised" Lycidas," which he absolutely abused, adding, “If Milton had not written the Paradise Lost,' he would only have ranked among the minor poets: he was a Phidias that cut a Colossus out of a rock, but could not cut heads out of cherry stones." (1)

464. Boswell and Garrick.

Boswell brought to my mind the whole of a very mirthful conversation at dear Mrs. Garrick's; and my being made, by Sir William Forbes, the umpire in a trial of skill between Garrick and Boswell, which could most nearly imitate Dr. Johnson's manner. I remember I gave it for Boswell in familiar conversation, and for Garrick in reciting.

Poor Johnson is in a bad state of health. I fear his constitution is broken up; I am quite grieved at it. He will not leave an abler defender of religion and virtue behind him; and the following little touch of tenderness, which I heard of him last night from one of the Turk's Head Club, endears him to me exceedingly. There are always a great many candidates ready, when any vacancy happens in the club, and it requires no small interest and reputation to get elected; but, upon Garrick's death, when numberless applications were made to succeed him, Johnson was deaf to them all: he said, "No, there never could be found any successor worthy of such a man; and he insisted upon it there should be

(1) [See antè, Vol. VIII. p. 306.]

a year's widowhood in the Club, before they thought of a new election. (1)

466. Metaphysical Distresses.

In Dr. Johnson, some contrarieties very harmoniously meet if he has too little charity with the opinions of others, and too little patience for their faults, he has the greatest tenderness for their persons. He told me, the

other day, he hated to hear people whine about metaphysical distresses, when there was so much want and hunger in the world. I told him I supposed, then, he never wept at any tragedy but Jane Shore, who died for want of a loaf. He called me saucy girl, but did not deny the inference. (1782.)

467. Abstinence and Temperance.

I dined very pleasantly at the Bishop of Chester's (Dr. Porteus). Johnson was there; and the Bishop was very desirous to draw him out, as he wished to show him off to some of the company who had never seen him. He begged me to sit next him at dinner, and to devote myself to making him talk. To this end, I consented to talk more than became me ; and our stratagem succeeded. You would have enjoyed seeing him take me by the hand in the middle of dinner, and repeat, with no small enthusiasm, many passages from the "Fair Penitent," &c. I urged him to take a little wine; he replied, "I can't drink a little, child; therefore I never touch it. Abstinence is as easy to me, as temperance would be difficult." He was very good-humoured and gay. One of the company happened to say a word about poetry; Hush, hush!" said he, "it is dangerous to say a word of poetry before her ; it is talking of the art of war before Hannibal.'

(1) [Garrick died in January, 1779, and no new election took place till November, 1780; when Dr. Shipley, Bishop of St. Asaph, was chosen a member.]

He continued his jokes, and lamented that I had not married Chatterton, that posterity might have seen a propagation of poets.

Who do you think is my principal Cicerone at Oxford? Only Dr. Johnson! and we do so gallant it about! You cannot imagine with what delight he showed me every part of his own college (Pembroke). Dr. Adams, the master, had contrived a very pretty piece of gallantry. We spent the day and evening at his house. After dinner, Johnson begged to conduct me to see the college; he would let no one show me it but himself. "This was my room; this Shenstone's.' Then, after pointing out all the rooms of the poets who had been of his college, "In short," said he, "we were a nest of singing birds." "Here we walked, there we played at cricket." He ran over with pleasure the history of the juvenile days he passed there. When we came into the common hall, we spied a fine large print of Johnson, framed and hung up that very morning, with this motto, "And is not Johnson ours, himself a host? " Under which stared you in the face, "From Miss More's 'Sensibility."" This little incident amused us;but, alas! Johnson looks very ill indeed - spiritless and wan. (June 13. 1782.)

469. Jesuits and Jansenists.

Saturday, I went to Mrs. Reynolds's, to meet Sir Joshua and Dr. Johnson. Our conversation ran very much upon religious opinions, chiefly those of the Roman Catholics. He took the part of the Jesuits, and I declared myself a Jansenist. He was very angry because I quoted Boileau's bon-mot upon the Jesuits, that they had lengthened the Creed and shortened the Decalogue; but I continued sturdily to vindicate my old friends of the Port Royal. He looked so dreadfully,