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on account of Richardson's having engrossed the attentions and affectionate assiduities of several very ingenious literary ladies, whom he used to call his adopted daughters, and for whom Dr. Johnson had conceived a paternal affection (particularly for two of them, Miss Carter and Miss Mulso, now Mrs. Chapone), previous to their acquaintance with Richardson; and it was said, that he thought himself neglected by them on his

account.

323. Female Friendship.

Dr. Johnson set a higher value upon female friendship than, perhaps, most men; which may reasonably be supposed was not a little enhanced by his acquaintance with those ladies, if it was not originally derived from them. To their society, doubtless, Richardson owed that delicacy of sentiment, that feminine excellence, as I may say, that so peculiarly distinguishes his writings from those of his own sex in general, how high soever they may soar above the other in the more dignified paths of literature, in scientific investigations, and abstruse inquiries.

324. What is Love?

Dr. Johnson used to repeat, with very apparent delight, some lines of a poem written by Miss Mulso:

"Say, Stella, what is love, whose cruel power
Robs virtue of content, and youth of joy?
What nymph or goddess, in what fatal hour,
Produced to light the mischief-making boy?

"Some say, by Idleness and Pleasure bred,
The smiling babe on beds of roses lay;
There with soft honey'd dews by Fancy fed,
His infant beauties open'd on the day." (1)

(1) Johnson paid the first of those stanzas the great and undeserved compliment of quoting it in his Dictionary, under the word "QUATRAIN."- C.

325. An Inn.

Dr. Johnson had an uncommonly retentive memory for every thing that appeared to him worthy of observation. Whatever he met with in reading, particularly poetry, I believe he seldom required a revisal to be able to repeat verbatim. If not literally so, his deviations were generally improvements. This was the case, in some respects, in Shenstone's poem of "The Inn," which I learned from hearing Dr. Johnson repeat it; and I was surprised, on seeing it lately among the author's works for the first time, to find it so different. One stanza he seems to have extemporised himself:

"And once again I shape my way

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Through rain, through shine, through thick and thin, Secure to meet, at close of day,

A kind reception at an inn." (1)

326. Quick Reading.

He always read amazingly quick, glancing his eye from the top to the bottom of the page in an instant. If he made any pause, it was a compliment to the work; and, after seesawing over it a few minutes, generally repeated the passage, especially if it was poetry.

327. Pope's " Essay on Man."

One day, on taking up Pope's "Essay on Man," a particular passage seemed more than ordinarily to engage his attention; so much so, indeed, that, contrary to his usual custom, after he had left the book and the seat in which he was sitting, he returned to revise it, turning over the pages with anxiety to find it, and then repeated

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"Passions, though selfish, if their means be fair,

List under Reason, and deserve her care:

(1) [See antè, Vol. VI. p. 82.]

Those that, imparted, court a nobler aim,

Exalt their kind, and take some virtue's name."

His task, probably, was the whole paragraph, but these lines only were audible.

328. Favourite Verses.

He seemed much to delight in reciting verses, particularly from Pope. Among the many I have had the pleasure of hearing him recite, the conclusion of the "Dunciad," and his "Epistle to Jervas," seemed to claim his highest admiration :

"Led by some rule that guides, but not constrains,

And finish'd more through happiness than pains," ( ) he used to remark, was a union that constituted the ultimate degree of excellence in the fine arts.

Two lines from Pope's "Universal Prayer" I have heard him quote, in very serious conversation, as his theological creed :

"And binding Nature fast in fate,

Left free the human will."

Some lines also he used to repeat in his best manner, written in memory of Bishop Boulter (2), which I believe are not much known:

"Some write their wrongs in marble: he, more just, Stoop'd down serene and wrote them in the dust;

Trod under foot, the sport of every wind,

Swept from the earth, and blotted from his mind.

There, secret in the grave, he bade them lie,

And grieved they could not 'scape the Almighty's eye."

329. Goldsmith.

Of Goldsmith's "Traveller" he used to speak in terms of the highest commendation.

(1) Epistle to Jervas. REYNOLDS.

A lady (3) I

(2) By Dr. Madden. See antè, Vol. II. p. 74. — C.
(3) Miss Reynolds herself.-C.

remember, who had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Johnson read it from the beginning to the end on its first coming out, to testify her admiration of it, exclaimed, "I never more shall think Dr. Goldsmith ugly.”

In having thought so, however, she was by no means singular; an instance of which I am rather inclined to mention, because it involves a remarkable one of Dr. Johnson's ready wit: for this lady, one evening being in a large party, was called upon after supper for her toast, and seeming embarrassed, she was desired to give the ugliest man she knew; and she immediately named Dr. Goldsmith, on which a lady (1) on the other side of the table rose up and reached across to shake hands with her, expressing some desire of being better acquainted with her, it being the first time they had met; on which Dr. Johnson said, "Thus the ancients, on the commencement of their friendships, used to sacrifice a beast betwixt them."

Sir Joshua, I have often thought, never gave a more striking proof of his excellence in portrait-painting, than in giving dignity to Dr. Goldsmith's countenance, and yet preserving a strong likeness. But he drew after his mind, or rather his genius, if I may be allowed to make that distinction; assimilating the one with his conversation, the other with his works.

Dr. Goldsmith's cast of countenance, and indeed his whole figure from head to foot, impressed every one at first sight with an idea of his being a low mechanic; particularly, I believe, a journeyman tailor. A little concurring instance of this I well remember. One day at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, in company with some gentlemen and ladies, he was relating with great indignation an insult he had just received from some gentleman he had accidentally met (I think at a coffee-house). "The fellow," he said, "took me for a tailor!" on which all

(1) Mrs. Cholmondeley.— REYNOLDS.

the party either laughed aloud or showed they suppressed a laugh.

Dr. Johnson seemed to have much more kindness for

Goldsmith, than Goldsmith had for him. He always appeared to be overawed by Johnson, particularly when in company with people of any consequence, always as if impressed with some fear of disgrace; and, indeed, well he might. I have been witness to many mortifications he has suffered in Dr. Johnson's company: one day in particular, at Sir Joshua's table, a gentleman to whom he was talking his best stopped him, in the midst of his discourse, with " Hush! hush! Dr. Johnson is going to say something."

At another time, a gentleman who was sitting between Dr. Johnson and Dr. Goldsmith, and with whom he had been disputing, remarked to another, loud enough for Goldsmith to hear him, “ That he had a fine time of it, between Ursa major and Ursa minor !” (1)

330. Talking one's best.

Mr. Baretti used to remark, with a smile, that Dr. Johnson always talked his best to the ladies. But, indeed, that was his general practice to all who would furnish him with a subject worthy of his discussion ; for, what was very singular in him, he would rarely, if ever, begin any subject himself, but would sit silent (2) till something was particularly addressed to him, and if that happened to lead to any scientific or moral inquiry, his benevolence, I believe, more immediately incited

(1) This is a striking instance of the easy fabrication of what are called anecdotes, and of how little even the best authorities can be relied on in such matters. The real anecdote was of Doctor Major and Doctor Minor (see antè, Vol. IV. p. 98.), by no means so happy as the fabrication; and the title of Ursa Major was applied to Johnson by old Lord Auchinlech (antè, Vol. V. p. 132.). From these two facts the pleasant fallacy quoted by Miss Reynolds was no doubt compounded. — C. (2) See antè, Vol. IV. p. 71. — C.

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