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how, at my firft vifit, I ventured to talk to him' 1763. fo freely, and that he bore it with fo much in- Etat. 54. dulgence.

Before we parted he was fo good as to promife 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 needlefs to add, that I felt no little elation at having now fo happily established an acquaintance of which I had been fo long ambitious.

My readers will, I truft, excufe me for being thus minutely circumftantial, when it is confidered that the acquaintance of Dr. John fon 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 vifit 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, should be encouraged; for his performances fhew the extent of the human powers in one instance, and thus tend to raise our opinion of the faculties of man. He fhews what may be attained by perfevering application; fo that every man may hope, that by giving as much application, although perhaps he may never ride three horses at a time or dance upon a wire, yet he may be equally expert in whatever profeffion he has chofen to purfue."

He again fhook me by the hand at parting, and afked me why I did not come oftener to him.

Trusting

1763. Trufting that I was now in his good graces, I anfwered, that he had not given me much encouragement, and reminded him of the check I had received from him at our first interview.

Etat. 54.

"Poh, poh! (faid he, with a complacent fmile,) never mind these things. Come to me as often as you can. I fhall be glad to see you."

I had learnt that his place of frequent refort was the Mitre tavern in Fleet-street, where he loved to fit up late, and I begged I might be allowed to pass an evening with him there foon, which he promifed I should. A few days afterwards I met him near Temple-bar, about one o'clock in the morning, and asked if he would then go to the Mitre. "Sir, (faid he) it is too late; they won't let us in. But I'll go with you another night with all my heart."

A revolution of fome importance in my plan of life had juft taken place; for inftead of procuring a commiffion in the foot-guards, which was my own inclination, I had, in compliance with my father's wifhes, agreed to ftudy the law, and was foon to fet out for Utrecht, to hear the lectures of an excellent Civilian in that Univerfity, and then to proceed on my travels. Though very defirous of obtaining Dr. Johnson's advice and instructions on the mode of pursuing my ftudies, I was at this time fo occupied, fhall I call it? or fo diffipated, by the amusements of London, that our next meeting was not till Saturday, June 25, when happening to dine at Clifton's eating-house, in Butcherrow, I was furprized to perceive Johnson come in and take his feat at another table, The mode of

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dining, or rather being fed at fuch houfes in Lon- 1763. don, is well known to many to be particularly un- Etat. 54 focial, as there is no Ordinary, or united company, but each perfon has his own mefs, and is under no obligation to hold any intercourfe with any one. A liberal and full-minded man, however, who loves to talk, will break through this churlish and unfocial restraint. Johnfon and an Irish gentleman got into a difpute concerning the caufe of fome part of mankind being black. Why, Sir, (faid Johnson,) it has been accounted for in three ways: either by supposing that they are the posterity of Ham, who was curfed: or that GoD at first created two kinds of men, one black and another white; or that by the heat of the fun the skin is scorched, and fo acquires a footy hue. This matter has been much canvaffed among naturalifts, but has never been brought to any certain iffue." What the Irishman faid is totally obliterated from my mind; but I remember that he became very warm and intemperate in his expreffions; upon which Johnfon rofe, and quietly walked away. When he had retired, his antagonist took his revenge, as he thought, by faying, "He has a moft ungainly figure, and an affectation of pompofity unworthy of a man of genius.'

Johnson had not obferved that I was in the room. I followed him, however, and he agreed to meet me in the evening at the Mitre. I called on him, and we went thither at nine. We had a good fupper, and port wine, of which he then fometimes drank a bottle. The orthodox high-church four... of the MITRE,-the figure and manner of the

celebrated

1763.

celebrated SAMUEL JOHNSON,-the extraordinary Etat. 54. power and precifion of his converfation, and the pride arifing from finding myself admitted as his companion, produced a variety of sensations, and a pleasing elevation of mind beyond what I had ever before experienced. I find in my journal the following minute of our converfation, which, though it will give but a very faint notion of what paffed, is, in fome degree, a valuable record; and it will be curious in this view, as fhewing how habitual to his mind were fome opinions which appear in his works.

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Colley Cibber, Sir, was by no means a blockhead; but by arrogating to himself too much, he was in danger of lofing that degree of eftimation to which he was entitled. His friends gave out that he intended his birth-day Odes should be bad: but that was not the cafe, Sir; for he kept them many months by him, and a few years before he died he fhewed me one of them, with great folicitude to render it as perfect as might be, and I made fome corrections, to which he was not very willing to fubmit. I remember the following couplet in allufion to the King and himself:

'Perch'd on the eagle's foaring wing,
The lowly linnet loves to fing.'

Sir, he had heard fomething of the fabulous tale of the wren fitting upon the eagle's wing, and he had applied it to a linnet. Cibber's familiar style, however, was better than that which Whitehead has affumed. Grand nonfenfe is infupportable. Whitehead

Whitehead is but a little man to infcribe verses to players."

I did not prefume to controvert this cenfure, which was tinctured with his prejudice against players; but I could not help thinking that a dramatick poet might with propriety pay a compliment to an eminent performer, as Whitehead has very happily done in his verses to Mr. Garrick.

"Sir, I do not think Gray a first-rate poet. He has not a bold imagination, nor much command of words. The obfcurity in which he has involved himself will not perfuade us that he is fublime. His Elegy in a church-yard has a happy felection of images, but I don't like what are called his great things. His Ode which begins

Ruin feize thee, ruthlefs King,

Confufion on thy banners wait,'

has been celebrated for its abruptnefs, and plunging into the subject all at once. But fuch arts as these have no merit, unless when they are original. We admire them only once; and this abruptness has nothing new in it. We have had it often before.

Nay, we have it
Armstrong:

in the old fong of Johnny

'Is there ever a man in all Scotland.

'From the highest estate to the lowest degree, &c.'

And then, Sir,

1763.

Etat. 54.

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