mean, Sir? What do you take me for? Do you think I am so ignorant of the world as to
imagine that I am to prescribe to a gentleman what company he is to have at his table?'
BOSWELL. 'I beg your pardon, Sir, for wishing to prevent you from meeting people
whom you might not like. Perhaps he may have some of what he calls his patriotick
friends with him.' Johnson. 'Well, Sir, and what then? What care I for his PATRIOTICK
FRIENDS? Poh!' BOSWELL. 'I should not be surprized to find Jack Wilkes there.'
Johnson. 'And if Jack Wilkes SHOULD be there, what is that to ME, Sir? My dear friend,
let us have no more of this. I am sorry to be angry with you; but really it is treating me
strangely to talk to me as if I could not meet any company whatever, occasionally.'
BOSWELL. 'Pray forgive me, Sir: I meant well. But you shall meet whoever comes, for
me.' Thus I secured him, and told Dilly that he would find him very well pleased to be
one of his guests on the day appointed.
Upon the much-expected Wednesday, I called on him about half an hour before dinner, as
I often did when we were to dine out together, to see that he was ready in time, and to
accompany him. I found him buffeting his books, as upon a former occasion, covered
with dust, and making no preparation for going abroad. 'How is this, Sir? (said I.) Don't
you recollect that you are to dine at Mr. Dilly's?' JOHNSON. 'Sir, I did not think of going
to Dilly's: it went out of my head. I have ordered dinner at home with Mrs. Williams.'
BOSWELL. 'But, my dear Sir, you know you were engaged to Mr. Dilly, and I told him
so. He will expect you, and will be much disappointed if you don't come.' JOHNSON.
'You must talk to Mrs. Williams about this.'
Here was a sad dilemma. I feared that what I was so confident I had secured would yet be
frustrated. He had accustomed himself to shew Mrs. Williams such a degree of humane
attention, as frequently imposed some restraint upon him; and I knew that if she should
be obstinate, he would not stir. I hastened down stairs to the blind lady's room, and told
her I was in great uneasiness, for Dr. Johnson had engaged to me to dine this day at Mr.
Dilly's, but that he had told me he had forgotten his engagement, and had ordered dinner
at home. 'Yes, Sir, (said she, pretty peevishly,) Dr. Johnson is to dine at home.'--'Madam,
(said I,) his respect for you is such, that I know he will not leave you unless you
absolutely desire it. But as you have so much of his company, I hope you will be good
enough to forego it for a day; as Mr. Dilly is a very worthy man, has frequently had
agreeable parties at his house for Dr. Johnson, and will be vexed if the Doctor neglects
him to-day. And then, Madam, be pleased to consider my situation; I carried the message,
and I assured Mr. Dilly that Dr. Johnson was to come, and no doubt he has made a
dinner, and invited a company, and boasted of the honour he expected to have. I shall be
quite disgraced if the Doctor is not there.' She gradually softened to my solicitations,
which were certainly as earnest as most entreaties to ladies upon any occasion, and was
graciously pleased to empower me to tell Dr. Johnson, 'That all things considered, she
thought he should certainly go.' I flew back to him, still in dust, and careless of what
should be the event, 'indifferent in his choice to go or stay;' but as soon as I had
announced to him Mrs. Williams' consent, he roared, 'Frank, a clean shirt,' and was very
soon drest. When I had him fairly seated in a hackney-coach with me, I exulted as much
as a fortune-hunter who has got an heiress into a post-chaise with him to set out for
Gretna-Green.
When we entered Mr. Dilly's drawing room, he found himself in the midst of a company
he did not know. I kept myself snug and silent, watching how he would conduct himself.
I observed him whispering to Mr. Dilly, 'Who is that gentleman, Sir?'--'Mr. Arthur Lee.'--
JOHNSON. 'Too, too, too,' (under his breath,) which was one of his habitual mutterings.
Mr. Arthur Lee could not but be very obnoxious to Johnson, for he was not only a
PATRIOT but an AMERICAN. He was afterwards minister from the United States at the
court of Madrid. 'And who is the gentleman in lace?'--'Mr. Wilkes, Sir.' This information
confounded him still more; he had some difficulty to restrain himself, and taking up a
book, sat down upon a window-seat and read, or at least kept his eye upon it intently for
some time, till he composed himself. His feelings, I dare say, were aukward enough. But
he no doubt recollected his having rated me for supposing that he could be at all
disconcerted by any company, and he, therefore, resolutely set himself to behave quite as
an easy man of the world, who could adapt himself at once to the disposition and
manners of those whom he might chance to meet.
The cheering sound of 'Dinner is upon the table,' dissolved his reverie, and we ALL sat
down without any symptom of ill humour. There were present, beside Mr. Wilkes, and
Mr. Arthur Lee, who was an old companion of mine when he studied physick at
Edinburgh, Mr. (now Sir John) Miller, Dr. Lettsom, and Mr. Slater the druggist. Mr.
Wilkes placed himself next to Dr. Johnson, and behaved to him with so much attention
and politeness, that he gained upon him insensibly. No man eat more heartily than
Johnson, or loved better what was nice and delicate. Mr. Wilkes was very assiduous in
helping him to some fine veal. 'Pray give me leave, Sir:--It is better here--A little of the
brown--Some fat, Sir--A little of the stuffing--Some gravy--Let me have the pleasure of
giving you some butter--Allow me to recommend a squeeze of this orange;--or the lemon,
perhaps, may have more zest.'--'Sir, Sir, I am obliged to you, Sir,' cried Johnson, bowing,
and turning his head to him with a look for some time of 'surly virtue,' but, in a short
while, of complacency.
Foote being mentioned, Johnson said, 'He is not a good mimick.' One of the company
added, 'A merry Andrew, a buffoon.' JOHNSON. 'But he has wit too, and is not deficient
in ideas, or in fertility and variety of imagery, and not empty of reading; he has
knowledge enough to fill up his part. One species of wit he has in an eminent degree, that
of escape. You drive him into a corner with both hands; but he's gone, Sir, when you
think you have got him-- like an animal that jumps over your head. Then he has a great
range for wit; he never lets truth stand between him and a jest, and he is sometimes
mighty coarse. Garrick is under many restraints from which Foote is free.' WILKES.
'Garrick's wit is more like Lord Chesterfield's.' JOHNSON. 'The first time I was in
company with Foote was at Fitzherbert's. Having no good opinion of the fellow, I was
resolved not to be pleased; and it is very difficult to please a man against his will. I went
on eating my dinner pretty sullenly, affecting not to mind him. But the dog was so very
comical, that I was obliged to lay down my knife and fork, throw myself back upon my
chair, and fairly laugh it out. No, Sir, he was irresistible. He upon one occasion
experienced, in an extraordinary degree, the efficacy of his powers of entertaining.
Amongst the many and various modes which he tried of getting money, he became a
partner with a small-beer brewer, and he was to have a share of the profits for procuring
Comments
Post a Comment